Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever

July 19, 2023

As Europe reels under a heatwave and wildfires, the rising temperatures have also raised fears of spread of viruses generally not found in colder climates.
WHO has sounded alert about the threat Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF)

ABOUT CRIMEAN-CONGO HEMORRHAGIC FEVER (CCHF)

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a viral haemorrhagic fever usually transmitted by ticks.
It was first detected among soldiers in the Crimean Peninsula (near the Black Sea) in 1944.
It can also be contracted through contact with viraemic animal tissues (animal tissue where the virus has entered the bloodstream) during and immediately post-slaughter of animals.
Animals such as cattle, goats, sheep and hares “serve as amplifying hosts for the virus.
Symptoms- CCHF symptoms include fever, muscle ache, dizziness, neck pain, backache, headache, sore eyes and sensitivity to light.
CCHF outbreaks constitute a threat to public health services as the virus can lead to epidemics.
It has a high case fatality ratio (10–40%), potentially results in hospital and health facility outbreaks, and is difficult to prevent and treat.
There is no vaccine for the virus in either humans or animals, and treatment generally consists of managing symptoms.