Hanta virus spreads in Hesse

Hanta virus now spreads in Hesse

13/09/2012

After more people have been infected with the Hanta virus in Baden-Württemberg this year than ever before, the infectious disease transmitted by rodents also spreads in Hesse. This was reported by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on Thursday. So far, 97 cases have been reported. In the past year, only 13 diseases were registered in Hesse.

Hanta virus spread especially in rural areas of Hesse
While the number of Hanta virus infections in Hessen was comparatively low in the past year, a new wave of infection seems to be rampant, especially in the rural regions of the state. However, the extent of infection in Hesse does not reach similar proportions as in Baden-Württemberg. There, up to 134 new cases were registered weekly between the end of April and the middle of May. As the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) Hessen announced there was already 2010 an outbreak year with more cases than usual. At that time, 174 Hanta virus infections were reported.

Hanta viruses are transmitted by red chickens via their faeces, urine and saliva. „Humans become infected when contaminated dust is whirled up and inhaled. A transfer from person to person, however, does not take place, "said Dr. Helga Christoffel, a doctor at TK Hessen This year, the population of red chickens is strikingly strong, as the main food source of red chick, beech nuts, was particularly abundant last fall Accordingly, areas with many beech forests are particularly affected by Hanta virus infections.

„In most cases, the disease is very mild, sometimes even unnoticed, "Christoffels explains.Only in rare cases, there is a decreased urine excretion (oliguria) with „arterial hypertension“, which may result in the failure of one or both kidneys. Pulmonary edema is also very rare. (Ag)

Read about:
Hantavirus infections in Baden-Württemberg
Increase in hantavirus infections
Spread of hantaviruses

Picture: Peter Friday