Infektionsausbruch bei deutschen und finnischen Soldaten während des 2. Weltkriegs im Östlichen Lappland – Erstbeschreibung der Hantavirus-Erkrankung im deutschen Sprachraum

Mustonen, Jukka; Henttonen, Heikki; Vaheri, Antti; Zöller, Lothar; Krüger, Detlev H.

doi:10.1055/a-1817-5129

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…All available facts of the Salla epidemic among German and Finnish soldiers in 1942 in Eastern Lapland confirm that it was caused by PUUV, spread by bank voles 23 . Consequently, the reports written by Dr Stuhlfauth in 1943 in Germany 8 and by Dr Hortling in 1944 in Finland 9 , 10 were the first publications on PUUV infection in these countries, although the rodent host species were not known at that time.…”

Section: Puumala Hantavirus Epidemic During World War II In Northern ...mentioning

confidence: 79%

Hantavirus Infections among Military Forces

2023

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Introduction Hantaviruses cause two kinds of clinical syndromes. Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome is caused by Hantaan virus in Asia, Puumala virus (PUUV) and Dobrava virus in Europe, and Seoul virus worldwide. Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome is caused by Sin Nombre virus in North America and Andes virus and related viruses in Latin America. All hantaviruses are carried by rodents and insectivores. Humans are infected via inhaled aerosols of rodent excreta. In the history, there are several epidemics of acute infectious diseases during many wars, which have been suggested or proven to be caused by various hantaviruses. Materials and Methods Literature review of 41 original publications and reviews published between 1943 and 2022 was performed. Among them, 23 publications handle hantavirus infections among military forces, and the rest 17 hantavirus infections themselves. Results A large epidemic during World War II in 1942 among German and Finnish soldiers in Northern Finland with more than 1,000 patients was most probably caused by PUUV. During Korean War in 1951–1954,∼ 3,200 cases occurred among United Nations soldiers in an epidemic caused by Hantaan virus. During Balkan war from 1991 to 1995, numerous soldiers got ill because of hantavirus infection caused by PUUV and Dobrava virus. Several other reports of cases of various hantavirus infections especially among U.S. soldiers acting in South Korea, Germany, Bosnia, and Kosovo have been described in the literature. Conclusions Military maneuvers usually include soil removal, spreading, digging with accompanied dust, and living in field and other harsh conditions, which easily expose soldiers to rodents and their excreta. Therefore, the risks of hantavirus infections in military context are obvious. All military infections have been caused by hantaviruses leading to hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome.

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Section: Puumala Hantavirus Epidemic During World War II In Northern ...mentioning

confidence: 79%