[Acute kidney failure caused by Hantaan virus. Case report from the West Germany]

A man aged 41 years who spent his leisure time in a marshy region infested with brown rats developed an infectious disease with high fever associated with diarrhoea, arthralgia and lumbago. In the course of the disease an acute renal failure occurred not requiring dialysis which spontaneously receded. Histology revealed signs of an acute renal failure with sparse interstitial round-cell infiltrations. Serological investigations showed a rising titre against Hantaan virus, Strain CG 1820 (1:1024). According to experience in neighbouring countries, it may be assumed that quite a number of cases of spontaneous acute renal failure occurring in the Federal Republic of Germany is caused by Hantaan virus.