2023-06-27 14:22:00
/Eileen Kumpf, stock.adobe.com
Stockholm Last year, 1,339 West Nile virus infections were reported in the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). 104 of them ended fatally. The reports to the European surveillance system TESSy show that most people (1,112) were infected in Germany.
The West Nile virus comes to Europe with migratory birds. It is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. The main vector are Culex mosquitoes, which multiply rapidly in warm weather. In Germany, the main season is in late summer, and if the weather is persistently warm, mosquitoes bite into early autumn.
In southern Europe they can be active until November. The mosquitoes become infected in the birds and pass the viruses on to humans during one of their next blood meals. Humans are false hosts because the viremia is too low to be transmitted to the mosquito when it bites.
However, this does not mean that people do not get sick. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) estimates that about every fifth infected person develops a feverish, flu-like illness after an incubation period of 2 to 14 days, which lasts about 3 to 6 days.
The fever usually begins abruptly and is sometimes biphasic. Other symptoms include chills, headaches and back pain, exhaustion and swollen lymph nodes. One in two patients develops a pale, maculopapular rash that typically spreads from the trunk to the head and extremities.
According to the Robert Koch Institute, only every 100th infection leads to a neuroinvasive disease that can be fatal. Translated into the 104 deaths reported, this would mean that more than 10,000 people were infected with West Nile virus in Europe last year.
According to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), 2022 was the worst year since 2018. Most infections were reported from Italy (723), Greece (283) and Romania (47).
Only 16 cases were reported in Germany. However, the distribution area has expanded in the new federal states. Harz, Vogtlandkreis, Salzlandkreis, Dahme-Spreewald, the city of Magdeburg and Teltow-Flming have been added as new regions. rme/aerzteblatt.de
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