Overview

• A resident of Landkreis Tirschenreuth died in a Regensburg clinic after contracting the rare Borna virus, the district office reported.
• The local health office and the Bavarian State Office for Health are examining possible exposure pathways to determine how the infection occurred.
• Two people in the Pfaffenhofen district died from Borna virus a few months ago, and any link to the new case has not been established.
• The Landesamt für Gesundheit notes Borna disease virus 1 has long been an animal pathogen and was first identified in 2018 as a cause of severe encephalitis in humans.
• Field shrews are considered the reservoir, and experts advise keeping them out of homes, avoiding pet food outdoors, and using gloves, goggles, and a mask when disposing of dead shrews.