Wild Poliovirus Type 1 Detected in Wastewater Sample in Hamburg

Germany’s Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reported the detection of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in a wastewater sample collected in Hamburg on October 6, 2025. Genomic analysis links the virus to a strain circulating in Afghanistan. No clinical cases have been identified, and high local polio vaccination coverage keeps population risk very low.

WPV1, like vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2), can cause poliomyelitis in unvaccinated individuals and is primarily transmitted via fecal-oral routes. RKI recommends maintaining full vaccination, using enterovirus diagnostics for early detection, reporting suspected cases promptly, and following national polio guidance. Monitoring in collaboration with WHO and ECDC continues. Read more from RKI here.