Environmental conditions in favour of a hantavirus outbreak in 2015 in Germany?

D Reil; C Imholt; S Drewes; R G Ulrich; J A Eccard; J Jacob

doi:10.1111/zph.12217

Environmental conditions in favour of a hantavirus outbreak in 2015 in Germany?

Zoonoses Public Health. 2016 Mar;63(2):83-8. doi: 10.1111/zph.12217. Epub 2015 Jul 15.

Authors

D Reil^{1

2}, C Imholt¹, S Drewes³, R G Ulrich³, J A Eccard², J Jacob¹

Affiliations

¹ Julius Kühn-Institute, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Münster, Germany.
² University of Potsdam, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Potsdam, Germany.
³ Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany.

PMID: 26177110
DOI: 10.1111/zph.12217

Abstract

Bank voles can harbour Puumala virus (PUUV) and vole populations usually peak in years after beech mast. A beech mast occurred in 2014 and a predictive model indicates high vole abundance in 2015. This pattern is similar to the years 2009/2011 when beech mast occurred, bank voles multiplied and human PUUV infections increased a year later. Given similar environmental conditions in 2014/2015, increased risk of human PUUV infections in 2015 is likely. Risk management measures are recommended.

Keywords: Beech fructification; Germany; Puumala virus; bank vole; nephropathia epidemica; outbreak.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Arvicolinae / virology*
Demography
Disease Outbreaks*
Ecosystem
Fagus
Germany / epidemiology
Hantavirus Infections
Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome / epidemiology*
Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome / transmission*
Humans
Orthohantavirus
Puumala virus* / isolation & purification
Risk Factors
Weather