Wild Polio Virus Detected in Germany

LONDON, Nov 12 (Reuters) – Germany has reported the detection of the wild polio virus in wastewater sampling, marking the first occurrence of this type in Europe since 2010. This situation represents a setback for ongoing efforts to eliminate polio globally.

The detection comes over three decades after the last recorded cases of wild polio in Germany and is notable as the first virus finding since the routine environmental monitoring began in 2021.

The World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted this as the first instance in Europe in over a decade. They emphasized that despite this finding, the risk of polio in Germany remains quite low, largely due to high vaccination rates among the population.

The Robert Koch Institute stated, “Wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) has been detected in a sewage sample in Germany,” clarifying that no human infections have been reported so far.

Low Risk to the Public

The institute reassured the public that the threat posed by the virus is minimal, as widespread vaccination means the cases detected in wastewater are considered “isolated.” Polio, formally known as poliomyelitis, can lead to severe illness, including paralysis, but vaccination can effectively prevent it.

Globally, two forms of poliovirus exist: the wild variant, which is rare and confined mainly to Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the vaccine-derived variant, which can arise in communities with low vaccination rates when weakened viruses used in vaccines mutate and spread.

Monitoring wastewater for the virus is a common practice to track polio outbreaks worldwide. The Robert Koch Institute has noted the presence of vaccine-derived poliovirus in various wastewater samples in Germany since late 2024. Other European nations, like the UK, have reported similar findings recently.

The last reports of the wild virus in Europe were from Russia and Tajikistan in 2010, and Switzerland in 2007. Europe was declared free of wild polio in 2002, and the last indigenous case in Germany occurred in 1990, with imported cases from Egypt and India noted in 1992.

The wild polio strain detected in Germany appears to be linked to those circulating in Afghanistan, the WHO indicated later. Oliver Rosenbauer, a spokesperson for the WHO’s polio eradication initiative, underlined the effectiveness of Germany’s surveillance: “They detected the virus without the occurrence of disease. And thanks to high population immunity, so far no cases have occurred.”

Challenges in Polio Eradication

Despite progress in reducing polio cases by 99% globally since 1988 through mass vaccination efforts, achieving complete eradication has proven difficult. Experts note that the challenge has recently intensified due to a 30% budget cut expected next year for global polio initiatives, alongside rising vaccine misinformation and hesitancy.

For instance, just this week, Canada lost its status of measles elimination after a year-long outbreak. This situation reflects ongoing struggles in combatting infectious diseases, including polio.