Respiratory Viral Infections Associated With Oktoberfest AttendanceMunichFluNCT07879781
Respiratory Viral Infections Following Oktoberfest Attendance
An observational study of Respiratory Viral Infections Associated With Oktoberfest Attendance, run by LMU Klinikum at 1 site in Germany.
Trial summary
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. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Respiratory Viral Infections Associated With Oktoberfest Attendance
- How many people
- 4,000 participants
- Where
- 1 siteGermany
- Study dates
- 19 Sep 2026to 31 Mar 2027
- Phase
- Observational
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: The study population includes individuals attending the Munich Oktoberfest and control participants from Regensburg and Nuremberg, Germany. Participants will be followed prospectively to assess respiratory symptoms and respiratory viral infections after Oktoberfest attendance. Control cohorts will be used to account for seasonal variations in respiratory virus circulation.
Who may be able to join
- Adults aged ≥18 years attending the Munich Oktoberfest during the study period, or reside in one of the predefined control regions (Regensburg or Nuremberg) Ability to provide informed consent Willingness to complete the study questionnaire during follow-up
Who cannot join
- Refusal or inability to provide informed consent Inability to complete the follow-up questionnaire
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Germany1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
LMU University Hospital
München
Stefan Brunner, MD, +49 89 44000, Stefan.Brunner@med.uni-muenchen.de
About this study
Official title: Respiratory Viral Infections Following Oktoberfest Attendance: The MunichFlu Study
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.
Read more
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.
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Oktoberfest Attendance Cohort | Participants attending Oktoberfest and followed prospectively for respiratory symptoms and viral infections after attendance. | |
| Regensburg Control Cohort | Participants from Regensburg surveyed during the same period to assess background seasonal respiratory virus circulation. | |
| Nuremberg Control Cohort | Participants from Nuremberg surveyed during the same period to assess background seasonal respiratory virus circulation. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Incidence of respiratory viral infections following Oktoberfest attendance
Proportion of participants developing symptoms of an acute respiratory infection within the follow-up period after Oktoberfest attendance, with optional molecular confirmation of respiratory viral pathogens.
Measured: 1-2 weeks after Oktoberfest attendance
Secondary outcomes (5)
Incidence of respiratory symptoms after Oktoberfest attendance
Occurrence and type of respiratory symptoms, including cough, sore throat, fever, nasal congestion, fatigue, and other symptoms suggestive of acute respiratory infection.
Measured: 1-2 weeks after Oktoberfest attendance
Identification of respiratory viral pathogens
Detection and identification of respiratory viruses from nasal and/or throat swabs collected from symptomatic participants using molecular diagnostic methods.
Measured: 1-2 weeks after Oktoberfest attendance
Spectrum of respiratory viruses detected in wastewater samples
Detection and characterization of respiratory viral pathogens in wastewater samples collected at the Oktoberfest venue during the festival period.
Measured: During Oktoberfest
Comparison of respiratory infection rates between Oktoberfest attendees and control populations
Comparison of the incidence of respiratory symptoms and suspected respiratory infections between Oktoberfest attendees and participants from control cities (Regensburg and Nuremberg).
Measured: 1-2 weeks after the study period
Association between Oktoberfest exposure characteristics and respiratory infections
Association between characteristics of Oktoberfest attendance (e.g., number of visits, duration of stay, crowd exposure, indoor/outdoor activities) and occurrence of respiratory infections.
Measured: 1-2 weeks after Oktoberfest attendance
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted19 Oct 2026
- Study start19 Sep 2026
- Primary completion31 Mar 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Mar 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Respiratory Viral Infections Associated With Oktoberfest AttendanceStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 4,000 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- LMU Klinikum
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Prof. Dr. Stefan Brunner, LMU Klinikum
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07879781
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 26-0385
- Acronym
- MunichFlu
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 9 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 19 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided