Host-Associated Absence of Human Puumala Virus Infections in Northern and Eastern Germany

Abstract

Human hantavirus disease cases, caused by Puumala virus (PUUV), are mainly recorded in western and southern areas of Germany. This bank vole reservoir survey confirmed PUUV presence in these regions but its absence in northern and eastern regions. PUUV occurrence is associated with the presence of the Western bank vole phylogroup.

Keywords

• bank vole
• evolutionary lineage
• phylogroup
• cytochrome b
• Puumala virus
• nephropathia epidemica