Background: The International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005 were conformed to German law on July 20, 2007 and described in detail by the Implementing Act (IHR DG). According to these legal bases, "designated airports" must maintain special capacities for protection against health threats, and are also responsible for performing regular IHR exercises.
Objectives: Representation of the optimization of established operational concepts of various professions to manage infectious biological threats without obstruction of international travel, and mediation of experience to IHR professionals.
Materials and methods: An exercise based on the case scenario of a travel-related febrile illness was performed at Munich International Airport on November 11, 2013. Preparations took 6 months and the exercise itself lasted nearly 12 h. The follow-up lasted an additional 9 months. A qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the exercise was completed.
Results: From an Individual Medicine and Public Health perspective, modular work structures and risk communication functioned adequately. The medical examination of passengers was also well managed. Areas requiring further optimization included arrival/departure times of external actors, transport of the index patient to hospital and protective measures for individual participants. Overall, a defined biological threat scenario representing a double infection with two highly pathogenic germs was handled satisfactorily without affecting international air travel.
Conclusions: Modular supply components are an effective and forward-looking means in protection against threats occurring at airports. Key success factors include sufficient staff mobility, immediate self-protection of actors involved, effective risk communication and a strong overall coordination and monitoring of the situation.