Enterovirus Surveillance (EVSurv) in Germany.

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• The Global Polio Eradication Program (GPEI) requires proof of poliovirus absence.
• Enterovirus surveillance (EVSurv) in Germany supports this goal by offering free diagnostics for polio-compatible symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To monitor enterovirus (EV) circulation in Germany.
• To exclude poliovirus infections in patients with suspected polio.
• To understand the epidemiology of non-polio enteroviruses.

Main Methods:

• A network of approximately 200 hospitals across Germany participated annually.
• Stool and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were screened for enteroviruses (EV).
• EV-positive samples underwent typing to identify serotypes and exclude poliovirus.

Main Results:

• Over 15 years, 53 different EV serotypes were detected, with EV-A71 common in infants and E30 in older individuals.
• Polioviruses were consistently not detected.
• An average of 2500 samples were tested yearly, primarily from children.

Conclusions:

• German enterovirus surveillance effectively monitors non-polio enterovirus circulation.
• The program provides continuous epidemiological data on clinically relevant EV serotypes.
• The absence of poliovirus has been confirmed, supporting global eradication efforts.