Animals - More mice seen in Hamburg - hardly any hantavirus cases
In recent years, more mice have been spotted in houses and on the streets in Hamburg. "In general, there has been a slight increase in the last three to four years," a spokeswoman from the Institute for Hygiene and Environment told the German Press Agency in Hamburg. At the same time, the municipal pest controllers could not report any unusual increase in sightings recently, according to the institute, which is part of the environmental authority. A statement about the mouse population in the city is not possible as the animals cannot be counted. The experts can therefore only recognize a trend based on reported sightings.
Mice generally reproduce quickly and also develop resistance to poisons. They are therefore difficult to combat - especially in places with old apartments and houses, which often have hollow spaces under wooden floors or in walls. These are ideal for mice nests. "If restaurants are also located around old buildings, food sources are also available. This combination of old buildings and restaurants can be found in Eppendorf, but also in other districts such as St. George or St. Pauli, where mice are also known to occur," said the spokeswoman.
However, this has not yet had an impact on the number of cases of hantavirus infections and there is no noticeable trend. "According to the Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Center, hantavirus infections are very rare in Hamburg and are of course closely monitored." They were also frequently acquired outside of Hamburg.
According to the information, three hantavirus infections were reported in Hamburg this year. In previous years, there had been one to six per year. In comparison: in 2020, health authorities across Germany reported 229 cases.
The hantavirus is transmitted through saliva, faeces or urine from infected rodents such as the bank vole. Humans can become infected if they inhale the pathogens, for example when contaminated dust is stirred up. The symptoms are similar to those of flu, with fever, headache, abdominal pain and back pain. This can be followed by a drop in blood pressure and kidney dysfunction or even failure.
Information from the RKI on the hantavirus
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- The rapid reproduction and resistance to poisons of mice make them challenging to control, especially in urban areas like Hamburg, where old buildings and restaurants provide ideal living conditions and food sources for them.
- While there has been an increase in mouse sightings in Hamburg, the rise in hantavirus cases has not been substantial, with only three reported incidents this year, compared to one to six per year in previous years.
- In the field of science, research on animals and diseases such as hantavirus is crucial to understanding its transmission and developing effective measures to prevent infection, which is vital for public health and hygiene, especially in densely populated cities like Hamburg.
- The German Press Agency reported that although more mice have been observed in Hamburgs streets and homes, the local pest controllers have not noticed an unusual increase in sightings, making it difficult to estimate the exact number of mice in the city.
Source: www.stern.de
