Polio viruses discovered in German wastewater: how dangerous is it?

Polio viruses discovered in German wastewater: how dangerous is it?

alarming news from German wastewater samples that provide frowning in the Federal Republic: the dreaded poliovirus is up to mischief! Analyzes in wasters of cities such as Munich, Bonn, Cologne and Hamburg have tracked down the virus. But before the panic breaks, a calming news: it is not the wild type of the virus, but a changed poliovirus that comes from the swallowing vaccination. However, this discovery brings with it some questions, especially because poliovirus in Germany is considered practically extinct. world in which the swallowing vaccination is still widespread. In Africa and Asia in particular, these vaccinations are still carried out, which is why the virus can be excreted and passed on here.

The Robert Koch Institute is alarm: Although no suspected polio has currently been reported in Germany, the discovery of viruses in wastewater analysis is a sign that the virus circulates among us. As the Süddeutsche Zeitung , the risk of a disease is low, because the vaccination rate in this country is low Fortunately, there is an impressive 90 percent.

wastewater as an indicator: the invisible danger of infection

With the continuous monitoring of the sewage values, the RKI tries to suffocate a possible threat in the bud. It emphasizes that medical staff should be particularly vigilant with symptoms of poliomyelitis. This insidious disease is not only insane, but can also lead to permanent paralysis in unvaccinated people. Poliomyelitis was once the horror among childhood diseases, known as "paralysis". Small children in particular were particularly affected and had to calculate lasting damage to life.

The background for the new finds in sewage samples is the nature of the poliovirus itself. The poliovirus, an enterovirus, mainly infects the digestive tract. In countries with poor hygiene conditions, the virus is often spread through contaminated hands as lubrication infection or by contaminated water. Thanks to comprehensive vaccination campaigns in the past, this plague is almost eradicated in many parts of the world, whereby there are repeatedly reported outbursts in various regions of world regions.

A race against time: prevention and vigilance are crucial!

Now the question arises: Why do you still focus on swallowing when alternatives exist? The main reason for this lies in a peculiarity of the inactivated polio vaccines: these effectively prevent an illness, but not an infection or the transfer of the pathogen. Especially in countries with low vaccination rates, this represents a significant risk factor. Countries in Africa and Asia use the swallowing vaccination to ensure extensive immunity among the population, whereby the risk of vaccination policy cases is accepted.

The fight against polio is far from winning. Although polio wild viruses circulate almost only in Pakistan and Afghanistan today, the global goal of completely exterminating polio has not yet been achieved. The pandemic years, in which routine vaccinations around the world have been interrupted, have only increased the risk of resuming this disease. No time to lose, because permanent vigilance and quick action are now more in demand than ever!