Initial instance of West Nile virus contamination reported in Germany
For the first time this year in Germany, a woman in Saxony, near the border with Brandenburg, has been diagnosed with West Nile virus, which was transmitted by local mosquitoes. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in Berlin reported this information on August 23rd. Additional cases have been identified, all related to travel outside the country. Women have also been affected in these instances.
Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit from the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM) in Hamburg provided further details. The woman's infection was detected through an examination of a blood donation sample.
More cases are anticipated as the data suggests heightened activity. A significant number of West Nile virus infections have been documented in both horses and birds, with the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI) recording 18 cases in birds and 14 in horses by August 23rd. The states of Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony have been particularly affected.
The high number of suspicious samples sent from blood donors serves as another indication of numerous transmissions, according to Schmidt-Chanasit. However, it's worth noting that the most commonly used screening test also reacts to the Usutu virus, which is currently causing mass deaths among starlings in Germany, with people often contracting the virus but experiencing few symptoms.
The woman's diagnosis of Infection with West Nile virus highlights the potential risks posed by local mosquitoes this year. More concerningly, the high number of West Nile virus infections in horses and birds could indicate a wider spread of the infection.
