Fatal pneumonia
11th April 2013
The death of a police officer from the district of Rendsburg-Eckernförde raises further questions. Despite all efforts, it is the specialists so far failed to identify a pathogen.
Kiel. High pressure physicians looking for days the virus, which is in the ranks of Rendsburg police responsible for two cases of severe lung diseases, one of which is fatal. That occur in a relatively small group of police two diseases of similar gravity, holds the director of the Institute for Infectious Diseases of UKSH in Kiel, Helmut Fickenscher, for "unusual". Because the two policemen are suffering to a greater distance in time, but there is no direct connection in infectious diseases. It could also be a coincidence, and thus to cases with separate causes.
Among the specific cases may manifest the professor of the Institute of Infectious Diseases at the University of Kiel not, but the probabilities of individual causes of disease. The fact was that there are currently different flu viruses are on the road, including the virus of the so-called "swine flu", which in most patients causes only mild symptoms, but with a few more young people, very severe cases of pneumonia show.
"There is no evidence"
Unlikely Fickenscher holds that in connection with the police this week brought Q fever is important. That'll about herd animals - mostly sheep - widespread and occurs in summer in conjunction with dust. "There were a few opportunities this winter," said Fickenscher.
Also, infection with the H7N9 virus currently circulating in Asia excludes the infectiologist. "There is no evidence." Especially since there were no reports so far on a human-to-human transmission, so there is direct contact with poultry in Asia would be necessary.
No geographical linkage to the Middle East
Highly dangerous for he holds the SARS-like corona virus, which has now been demonstrated in Arabia. In Germany, the first time a man died of the new virus. A 73-year-old was on 19 March has been seriously ill postponed from Abu Dhabi to Munich for treatment. The two policemen Rendsburger Fickenscher was loud but no geographical linkage to the Middle East known. Therefore this corona virus in these cases is extremely unlikely.
Remains but the flu, which rarely takes a serious course, especially when the lung experienced by a viral infection, superinfection with bacteria. "Pneumococci and staphylococci can be with joy down there, where the mucous membrane is already damaged." Such courses of disease he had seen several times in recent years.The patients were ventilated and survived. http://www.shz.de/nachrichten/top-thema/artikel/toedliche-lungenentzuendung-aerzte-raetseln-ueber-ursache.html