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Strain · Northern Europe

Puumala virus

Puumala virus causes a mild form of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (nephropathia epidemica).

HFRSCFR ~0.5%580 reported cases (12 mo baseline)
CFR
0.5%
Cases (12mo)
580
Syndrome
HFRS

Puumala virus causes a mild form of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (nephropathia epidemica). Case fatality is below 1%. Reservoir: bank vole (Myodes glareolus). Most common hantavirus in Europe.

CASE FATALITY
0.5%
REPORTED CASES (12 MO)
580
SYNDROME
HFRS
RESERVOIR
Myodes glareolus (bank vole)

Active and recent clusters

  • Germany · Bavaria / Baden-Württemberg — 1300 cases, 5 deaths (CFR 0.4%) · Annual pattern; RKI Infektionsepidemiologisches Jahrbuch. Germany reports a strongly cyclical Puumala virus burden — peak years exceed 2,000 cases (e.g., 2012, 2017, 2019), trough years <300. Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg contribute the bulk. Cases are notifiable; verify current weekly counts at RKI SurvStat.
  • Finland · boreal forest belt — 1500 cases, 1 deaths (CFR 0.07%) · Annual pattern; THL Finland. Finland reports the highest per-capita Puumala virus incidence in the world — approximately 1,000–3,000 confirmed cases per year (locally myyräkuume). Severe disease is rare; most patients recover with conservative management.
  • Russia · Volga / Bashkortostan — 6000 cases, 24 deaths (CFR 0.4%) · Annual pattern; Rospotrebnadzor. Russia reports several thousand confirmed HFRS cases annually, dominated by Puumala virus in the Volga region (Bashkortostan being a notable focus) and Dobrava-Belgrade in the south.
  • Sweden · Norrland — 350 cases, 1 deaths (CFR 0.3%) · Annual pattern; Folkhälsomyndigheten. Sweden reports approximately 200–600 confirmed nephropathia epidemica (Puumala) cases per year, almost exclusively from the four northernmost counties. Cyclic 3-4 year peaks tracking bank vole populations.
  • Belgium · Wallonia / forest belt — 200 cases, 0 deaths (CFR 0%) · Annual pattern; Sciensano. Belgium reports 100–300 confirmed Puumala cases annually with a strong cyclic pattern. Wallonian forests (Ardennes) are the main exposure zone; outbreak years follow good acorn crops that drive vole populations.
  • France · Ardennes / Franche-Comté — 90 cases, 0 deaths (CFR 0%) · Annual pattern; Santé publique France. France reports approximately 50–120 confirmed Puumala cases annually, concentrated in the Ardennes, Franche-Comté and Picardy regions. Notifiable disease since 2003.
  • Slovenia · Karst / Sava valley — 100 cases, 5 deaths (CFR 5%) · Annual pattern; NIJZ. Slovenia consistently reports 50–200 HFRS cases per year — high per-capita incidence. Mixed Dobrava (more severe) and Puumala epidemiology. Outbreak years aligned with neighbouring Balkan reservoirs.

Frequently asked

What does Puumala virus cause?

Puumala virus causes hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) with case fatality around 0.5%. The kidneys are the primary affected organ.

Is Puumala virus contagious between people?

No documented person-to-person transmission. Puumala virus spreads via inhalation of aerosolized rodent excreta from its reservoir, Myodes glareolus (bank vole).

Where does Puumala virus circulate?

Puumala virus circulates primarily in Northern Europe. Its main reservoir is Myodes glareolus (bank vole).

Related

Disclaimer. Strain pages are for general information. Diagnosis and treatment decisions must be made with a qualified clinician.