An observational study in Respiratory Viral Infections Associated With Oktoberfest Attendance, sponsored by LMU Klinikum. Recruiting at 1 site in Germany. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-19.
Sponsored by LMU Klinikum · Observational
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.
LMU Klinikum is the lead sponsor of 53 studies on the registry; 20 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
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.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
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
Exclusion Criteria:
Refusal or inability to provide informed consent Inability to complete the follow-up questionnaire
Participants attending Oktoberfest and followed prospectively for respiratory symptoms and viral infections after attendance.
Participants from Regensburg surveyed during the same period to assess background seasonal respiratory virus circulation.
Participants from Nuremberg surveyed during the same period to assess background seasonal respiratory virus circulation.
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.
Time frame: 1-2 weeks after Oktoberfest attendance
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.
Time frame: 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.
Time frame: 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.
Time frame: 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).
Time frame: 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.
Time frame: 1-2 weeks after Oktoberfest attendance
Plan to share: Undecided
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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