Tiere als Vektoren und Reservoire von Erregern importierter lebensbedrohender Infektionskrankheiten

Pathogens of life-threatening and simultaneously highly contagious viral and bacterial human infectious diseases might be brought into Germany from foreign countries not only by infected humans, but also by infected arthropod and rodent vectors and/or animal hosts and reservoir animals. Especially peridomestic and commensal rodent and arthropod vector species have been proven to spread globally, mainly by unintended transport via ship or aircraft after infestation of the transport device. While management and control of life-threatening disease agents brought in by humans recently reached a functional working level, and evaluation of effective aircraft disinsection methods are currently under investigation aiming at licensing suitable products for vector control, no coordinated countermeasures were implemented so far to monitor and control vector species brought in by international travel and commerce e.g. by shipping via containerized crop products. Due to the rare occurrence in Germany of these diseases associated with a high case fatality rate standardized reaction schemes are necessary to prevent the further spreading of the most highly contagious agents. Therefore, disease monitoring and preventive medical strategies have to be developed and implemented, thus integrating the professional expertises of medical entomologists, pest control operators, and disinfectors.