Borna virus alarm in Upper Bavaria: man dies, further discovered!

Borna virus alarm in Upper Bavaria: man dies, further discovered!

Pfaffenhofen, Deutschland - In Upper Bavaria, two men have recently been positively tested for the Borna virus. According to the current reports of Pnp.de , a man has died, while the other is currently being treated. Both affected people come from the urban area of ​​Pfaffenhofen.

The authorities are active in determining the possible path of infection. The local health department and the State Office for Health and Food Safety (LGL) work closely together. The Borna Disease Virus 1 (Bodv-1), the pathogen of Borna’s disease, is typically spread through the excretions of Feldspitz mice. These animals divide the virus through urine, feces and saliva without falling ill.

transmission paths and symptoms

The exact transmission route of the virus to humans is so far unclear. Possible ways could be contaminated food, water or contaminated soil, according to the LGL in its information on the website lgl.bayern.de . The disease has been reported since 2020, and since then the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has been reported up to six acute cases of bodv-1 encephalitis annually, mainly in Bavaria.

The first symptoms of an infection include headaches, fever and a general feeling of illness. Afterwards, neurological symptoms can occur, which often end in severe encephalitis. The course of the disease is often fatal. From person to person, transmission is extremely unlikely and so far only in medical contexts, e.g. B. in transplants, has been proven.

prevention measures and risk assessment

The health department recommends that you avoid contact with Feldspitz mice and their excretions. Living or dead animals should never be touched with bare hands. If you suspect Borna infection, it is advisable to immediately take medical help. The RKI also advised to think of a borna infection and arrange corresponding tests in the event of symptoms of "unclear acute meningoencephalitis".

However, the general risk assessment for borna infection remains low. By November 2023, cases of Borna’s disease were recorded in the middle double -digit range. This has fundamentally changed the view of the virus, which has long been dangerous to farm animals, but not for humans. Br.de reports of the endemic distribution of the virus in parts of Thuringia, Saxony and almost all of Bavaria, as well as its occurrence in Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Austria.