CRIME CONGO HEMORHAGIC FEVER EPIDEMY: A PRELIMINARY REPORT OF ISFAHAN PROVINCE IN IRAN
Abstract
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a viral disease of Buynaviridae family. Disease is primarily zoonosis but sporadic and epidemic human infection can occur. During year 2001 many outbreaks have been reported from Kosovo, Iran, Albania and Pakistan. A Hyalomma tick can transmit the disease and virus reservoirs are rodents, ostrich, ground frequenting birds and hyalomma tick. Another way of human infection is contact with infected animal blood and products or crushing a tick with bare hands. Contact with infected human blood can also transmit the disease.
During outbreak, 18 cases were confirmed by serologic methods. 12 men and 6 women aged 20-40 years old. Ten of men and 5 of women had history of contact with infected animal blood or tissue and a lady had been bitten by a tick. A young assistant of internal medicine who came in contact with the first patient, developed the disease. We were not able to determine route of transmission in one case. The most frequent clinical signs included fever, myalgia, weakness, fatique, bleeding tendency, petechia, purpura and jundice. Lab exam revealed thrombocytopenia, elevated liver enzymes and prolongation of prothrombin time.
Althoug the most common route of human infection is tick bite, but in this outbreak the main route was contact with infected animal blood and tissue. This point confirms that unsanitary slaughtering of animal could be dangerous. It seems that reeducating physicians, veterinarians and those who take care of such patients maybe helpful to neighboring countries triggered the outbreak, so that educating people who are involved in husbandry may limiting human infection.
During outbreak, 18 cases were confirmed by serologic methods. 12 men and 6 women aged 20-40 years old. Ten of men and 5 of women had history of contact with infected animal blood or tissue and a lady had been bitten by a tick. A young assistant of internal medicine who came in contact with the first patient, developed the disease. We were not able to determine route of transmission in one case. The most frequent clinical signs included fever, myalgia, weakness, fatique, bleeding tendency, petechia, purpura and jundice. Lab exam revealed thrombocytopenia, elevated liver enzymes and prolongation of prothrombin time.
Althoug the most common route of human infection is tick bite, but in this outbreak the main route was contact with infected animal blood and tissue. This point confirms that unsanitary slaughtering of animal could be dangerous. It seems that reeducating physicians, veterinarians and those who take care of such patients maybe helpful to neighboring countries triggered the outbreak, so that educating people who are involved in husbandry may limiting human infection.
Keywords
CCHF, Outbreak, Isfahan, report