Dangerous virus First Zika case reported in Berlin

The dangerous Zika virus has been spreading for months in several Central and South American countries. Occasionally, the pathogen was brought to other regions of the world by travelers, and a number of cases have also become known in Germany. Now the virus was first detected in a man from Berlin. The 31-year-old had apparently become infected during a stay in Haiti.

Confirmed cases also in Dusseldorf and Cologne
Only a few days ago, other Zika infections in Germany were confirmed, including a man from Dusseldorf and a woman from Cologne were affected. Now, the first case has been confirmed in Berlin, report the "Potsdamer Neueste Nachrichten", citing the health authority Neukölln. According to the 31-year-old man had apparently infected during a several-week stay on the Caribbean island of Haiti. His stay was limited to the city of Port-au-Prince.

The first Zika case was also confirmed in Berlin. (Image: jarun011 / fotolia.com)

Typical rash after mosquito bite
The man had been stung by an infected mosquito and then developed the Zika-typical gnarled-patchy rash. The characteristic fever, however, had not occurred. As reported by the city of Berlin in its epidemiological weekly report 02/2016 ("Epi-Info Berlin"), the man had gone to medical treatment in Neukölln in January after his return to the capital. At the Bernhard Nocht Institute in Hamburg, therefore, could finally be diagnosed with a Zikavirus infection.

The predominantly mosquito-borne zika virus is currently rampant in the tropical regions of South and Central America and the Caribbean, with Brazil and Colombia particularly affected. Infection with the virus is mild in most cases, but pre-existing conditions may increase the risk of a more severe course. In addition, the virus is suspected of causing malformations in the unborn child when pregnant women are infected. In this so-called "microcephaly" the children are born with too small a skull.

In case of fever after returning from a tropical journey, be sure to have it tested
Accordingly, on the advice of the Bernhard Nocht Institute, anyone who returns from a tropical journey and has typical symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, skin rash, and non-purulent conjunctivitis of the eye should undergo a laboratory test. Those who return from an epidemic area but have no symptoms should also be tested in certain cases. This applies to currently pregnant travelers and male travelers with a pregnant sexual partner, according to the information of the institute.