polio pathogen
Polio alarm in Hamburg: viruses discovered in wastewater
Updated 11/28/2024 – 4:30 p.mReading time: 1 Min.
Child is immunized against polio with oral vaccination (symbolic image): Polio viruses have been detected in wastewater in Hamburg. (Source: imago stock&people/imago-images-bilder)
According to the RKI, polio viruses were found in wastewater samples from Hamburg. It is not yet entirely clear where the viruses come from.
According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), polio viruses have been detected in Hamburg’s wastewater. To date, no suspected cases or illnesses have been reported. The pathogens are not the wild type of the virus, but rather viruses that were created through oral vaccination with weakened polio pathogens. In addition to Hamburg, the polio pathogens were also discovered in Cologne, Bonn and Munich.
These viruses could come from people who received the oral vaccination, which is still widely used in their home country, and can shed them for up to six weeks. However, the RKI emphasizes that the risk of outbreaks is low due to the high vaccination rate of 90 percent and the good hygiene conditions in Germany.
Poliomyelitis is a highly contagious disease that can cause permanent paralysis in people who are not adequately vaccinated. It is recommended that existing vaccination gaps be closed and that medical personnel in particular be called upon to be vigilant.
The RKI explains: “The detection in various locations indicates that these viruses are circulating.” Both German state authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO) have been informed and further samples are being examined. The virus was also recently found in wastewater samples in Spain and Poland.