Fatal Borna virus case in Bavaria: What does that mean for Vorarlberg?

Fatal Borna virus case in Bavaria: What does that mean for Vorarlberg?

Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, Deutschland - In Bavaria there are currently worrying news about the Borna virus (Bodv-1). Two men in the fifties from Pfaffenhofen on the Ilm have become infected, one of the affected people died and the other is treated in a critical condition in a clinic. The exact path of infection is still unclear because the two men are not related. The local health authorities, the Landratsamt Pfaffenhofen and the Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety (LGL) have started the investigation to explore the causes of the infections.

The Borna virus is particularly common in animals, especially for Feldspitz mice. The first proven human infection in Germany took place in 2018, while no such case has been documented in Austria. Transfer routes from the animal to humans are little examined; Possible sources could be contaminated food, water or earth. Direct human-to-human broadcasts are extremely unlikely. In the event of an infection, severe brain inflammation, also known as encephalitis, can occur, which is often fatal. There is no specific therapy, treatment is limited to relieving the symptoms.

risks and dangers

According to the AGES (agency for health and nutritional security), the risk of infection for the general population in Austria is to be classified as extremely low. Vorarlberg is referred to as an endemic area for BodV-1, but so far no human infections have been known. Nevertheless, health experts recommend precautionary measures, such as avoiding contact with Feldspitz mice and their excretions. If animals are found, the wearing of gloves and safe disposal is advisable.

Current cases in Bavaria throw a light on the behavior and symptoms associated with borna encephalitis. Dr. med. Friederike Liesche-Starnecker and Prof. Jürgen Schlegel examined the brain pictures of 19 patients who suffered from BodV-1 infections in a study. Her research illustrates that encephalitis typically begins in the basal ganglia and then spreads over other brain regions. These results are important for understanding the disease, since they differ from the distribution pattern in infected animals and offer important information for future studies.

Borna disease caused by the Borna Disease Virus 1, is a viral infectious disease that affects the central nervous system of horses and sheep. In very rare cases, the virus can also be transferred to humans and there are severe, mostly fatal inflammation of the brain. The only well-known reservoir host of the BodV-1 is the Feldspitzmaus, with infected animals extinguishing the virus through feces, urine and saliva. The distribution of the virus is particularly known in the eastern half of southern Germany and in neighboring countries such as Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Austria.

In Germany, a total of 24 confirmed cases of BodV-1 infections were documented in humans between 1996 and 2021. To this day, this virus has been limited to the central nervous system and has been responsible for fatal infections several times in recent years. The authorities emphasize that despite the serious consequences that Borna virus infections can have, there is usually no reason to panic because such cases are extremely rare.