Respiratory Viral Infections Following Oktoberfest Attendance

The MunichFlu study is a prospective observational study investigating the incidence and etiology of respiratory viral infections following attendance at the Munich Oktoberfest, one of the world's largest mass gathering events. Participants will be recruited during the Oktoberfest after providing informed consent. One to two weeks after the end of the festival, participants will receive an online follow-up questionnaire collecting information on demographic characteristics, medical history, Oktoberfest attendance, and the occurrence of respiratory symptoms or other infectious illnesses after their visit. Participants reporting symptoms suggestive of an acute respiratory infection will be offered an optional nasal and/or throat swab for molecular detection and identification of the causative respiratory virus. In parallel, wastewater samples will be collected at the Oktoberfest venue and analyzed for circulating respiratory viruses to assess environmental viral surveillance. To account for seasonal variations in respiratory virus circulation, parallel population-based surveys will be conducted in the German cities of Regensburg and Nuremberg during the same study period. The combined epidemiological, virological, and environmental surveillance data will provide a comprehensive assessment of respiratory viral infections associated with Oktoberfest attendance.