Risk Factors for Hantavirus Infection in Germany, 2005

Abstract

In 2005, a marked increase in hantavirus infections was observed in Germany. Large cities and areas where hantaviruses were not known to be endemic were affected. A case–control study identified the following independent risk factors for infection: occupational exposure for construction workers, living <100 m from forested areas, and exposure to mice.

Keywords

• Hantavirus infection
• Puumala virus
• hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome
• outbreak
• case–control study
• risk factor