Hantavirus in Germany — 2005

German Puumala virus year — Baden-Württemberg surge tracks bank-vole population peak

Overview

2005 was a major Puumala virus year in Germany, with the Robert Koch-Institut recording more than 400 confirmed cases — well above the multi-year baseline. The case spike was concentrated in Baden-Württemberg and adjacent states with high bank-vole habitat, tracking the autumn-mast-driven population dynamics that govern Puumala epidemiology in central Europe. The year's case patterns helped consolidate German public-health understanding of the three-to-four-year vole cycle and shaped subsequent seasonal advisories for forestry and outdoor workers in affected regions.

Germany baseline

Wide annual variation tied to bank-vole population cycles. 2012 and 2017 were peak years.

Source: Robert Koch-Institut SurvStat

Relevant strain

References & primary sources

• Robert Koch-Institut — SurvStat

Other years tracked for Germany