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Published On: Sat, Dec 28th, 2013

Germany: Traveler to Thailand contracts Zika virus

For the second time this year, a traveler to Thailand has returned home only to find they have contracted the mosquito borne virus, Zika virus (ZIKV).

Germany-CIA_WFB_MapIn a letter to ProMED-mail Friday, “A previously healthy 53-year-old man consulted at the Saarland University Medical Center on 22 Nov 2013 after returning from travel to Thailand. During his 3-week round trip (31 Oct-20 Nov 2013), including visits to Phuket, Krabi, Ko Jum, and Ko Lanta, he developed joint pain and swelling on his left ankle and foot on 12 Nov 2013 after several mosquito bites, followed by a maculopapular rash on his rear and front trunk that spread to the face and the upper as well as lower extremities over the next 4 days before fading, according to experts from the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine in Hamburg.

“Accompanying symptoms were malaise, fever, and shivering, of which the latter 2 appeared only for one day. He and his travel partner, who never had any comparable symptoms, were using insect repellent during travel. Upon presenting in Germany, which was intended as a check for tropical diseases and included taking blood samples, no clinical signs could be found, and the only subjective complaint was continuing tiredness.”

After testing a myriad of viral diseases, the patient tested positive for Zika virus IgG and IgM antibodies, demonstrating an acute or recent Zika virus  infection of the patient.

This is the 1st laboratory confirmed case of ZIKV reported in Germany and Europe.

In Jan. 2013, a Canadian traveler to Thailand returned home to Alberta ill and tested positive for ZIKV. This was the first such case in Canada. This was reported in May.

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About the Author

- Writer, Co-Founder and Executive Editor of The Global Dispatch. Robert has been covering news in the areas of health, world news and politics for a variety of online news sources. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of the website, Outbreak News Today and hosts the podcast, Outbreak News Interviews on iTunes, Stitcher and Spotify Robert is politically Independent and a born again Christian Follow @bactiman63

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  1. Alemania: casos importados de infección por virus Zika | Dto de Est. y Epidemiologia says:

    […] Germany: Traveler to Thailand contracts Zika virus […]

  2. ExciteReview | Germany: Traveler to Thailand contracts Zika virus says:

    […] Germany: Traveler to Thailand contracts Zika virus In a letter to ProMED-mail Friday, “A previously healthy 53-year-old man consulted at the Saarland University Medical Center on 22 Nov 2013 after returning from travel to Thailand. During his 3-week round trip (31 Oct-20 Nov 2013), including visits to … Read more on The Global Dispatch […]

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