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Travel-related vector-borne virus infections in Germany

Arch Virol Suppl. 1996:11:57-65. doi: 10.1007/978-3-7091-7482-1_7.

Abstract

Laboratory diagnosis of imported, vector-borne virus diseases during a 22-month-period in Munich, Germany, is summarized. IN 13/317 Germans returning from the Mediterranean with suspected sandfly fever, acute sandfly fever, serotype Toscana, was confirmed serologically: 84.6% of the infections were acquired in Italy. Of 249 German tourists with febrile disease returning from the tropics, acute infection with dengue virus was diagnosed serologically in 26 (10.4%): most infections were acquired in Thailand (57.7%). In a seroepidemiological study of 670 German aid workers who had spent two years in the tropics, 49 (7.3%) were positive for antibodies to dengue, 9 (1.3%) to chikungunya, and 1 (0.1%) to Sindbis virus. Of 17 Middle Eastern patients with suspected viral haemorrhagic fever, genomic Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus RNA was amplified in 4 (23.5%) by semi-nested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, and confirmed by molecular characterization of nucleic acid. With the increase in travel to and from endemic areas, imported vector-borne virus infections are increasingly important in Germany.

MeSH terms

  • Alphavirus Infections / diagnosis
  • Alphavirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Alphavirus Infections / transmission*
  • Animals
  • Arbovirus Infections / diagnosis
  • Arbovirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Arbovirus Infections / transmission*
  • Dengue / diagnosis
  • Dengue / epidemiology
  • Dengue / transmission*
  • Developing Countries
  • Disease Vectors*
  • Germany / epidemiology
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean / diagnosis
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean / epidemiology
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean / transmission*
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Italy
  • Middle East
  • Phlebotomus Fever / diagnosis
  • Phlebotomus Fever / epidemiology
  • Phlebotomus Fever / transmission*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • RNA, Viral / analysis
  • Sindbis Virus*
  • Thailand
  • Tick Infestations / veterinary
  • Travel*
  • Tropical Climate

Substances

  • RNA, Viral