Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, in depth

2024-07-29 10:36:38

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a debilitating disease that can be hemorrhagic and is primarily transmitted by tick bites.

Different types of ticks. Photography provided by SEIMC

A 74-year-old man infected by Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), after having suffered a symptom in Buenasbodas (Toledo) and who was admitted to the Department High Level Distinction of the Public Hospital La Paz-Carlos III, died. this sunday

Since 2016, a total of 15 cases of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) have been confirmed in Spain, of which six have died, two of them this year, all men over 50 years in rural areas.

We go into this disease with data from the inside Spanish Society of Hair Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC)

How is it published?

Them Crimean-Congo fever (CCHF) It is a fatal hemorrhagic disease caused by the virus (vHFCC) of the generation. Nairovirus.

Them carving It is mainly transmitted by tick bites, although it can also be spread by contact with contaminated fresh meat, by eating fresh milk from infected animals, or in a healthy environment, by handling utensils and biological fluids such as blood, vomit or feces of patients who develop this fever.

Ticks. Photography provided by SEIMC

Clinical manifestations

In most cases, people affected by eating a tick infected by the virus do not develop clinical manifestations of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. Besides, they may not even know that they have been bitten.

Clinical manifestations (signs and symptoms) are which is not specific. Patients may develop a high fever, headache, fatigue, and muscle pain that may disappear within days or weeks. However, it is estimated that in the worst case scenario, 1 in 5 people develop it clinical imaging of dengue fever.

Pre-hemorrhagic phase: After the incubation period (usually between 3 and 7 days) the patient develops a nonspecific condition with high fever, headache, sweating, muscle pain, and digestive symptoms in the form of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea that usually wait between 1 to 7 7 days. At this stage, a significant decrease in platelets, a decrease in leukocytes and a rise in liver transaminases can be observed.

Blood level: It is characterized by the appearance of petechiae/ecchymoses on the skin and mucous membranes, which may be accompanied by food-carrying blood. There is also corruption in consciousness based on the involvement of other bodies. At this stage, the decrease in platelets is more pronounced and often the greater the degree of liver involvement. In the worst cases, death occurs within a few days.

People who survive They enter a period of comfort, in which there is often tachycardia, respiratory problems, severe asthenia, memory loss, among others. It can last a long time. The mortality rate of hemorrhagic fever is around 30%.

follow up other diseases spread by signs in our area, which can be confused with this virus due to the similarity of its clinical manifestations. Mediterranean fever and related conditions caused by different species of Rickettsia must be controlled. They also spread Lyme disease.

How to remove tags. Photography provided by SEIMC

How do you check

The diagnosis of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is based on clinical suspicion. In the case of CCHF, the development of fever in a patient who has been bitten or who may be infected, it is advisable to do a blood test (blood count and liver enzymes).

Depending on the result, the possible causes will be oriented and specific tests will be performed, ranging from the detection of viruses to the performance of molecular tests such as culture.

In the case of CCHF, the most profitable thing is to do PCR in the first days of the onset of symptoms. In any case, specific negative tests do not exclude that we face a FHCC and clinical presentation They should be the ones who guide the actions of health workers.

How to prevent Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever

The best way to prevent CCHF is to avoid bites from these arthropods. It is popularly thought that the sign is only found in rural areas and that they feed on dogs, but this is false.

Wear appropriate clothing that covers most of the body. You must move long pants inserted into a sock or shoe.

Dark clothing attracts ticks less, but it is advisable to wear light clothing to be able to see the tick on the clothing and remove it before it bites. Spraying clothing with repellants can be helpful, although some studies say it’s ineffective.

Another measure is to find the anthropod, after the exits in space. If we check the body we find a sign and remove it as soon as possible, we can prevent transmission.

In no case must drink or spray them including gasoline, oil or other products. The correct way to remove the tick should be done with tweezers inserted between the head and the human/animal skin, using a steady approach and keeping it at right angles.

How to treat fever

There is no treatment which has proven to be effective in one hundred percent of the cases. The most important thing is support measures in hospital units dedicated to the treatment and management of such patients, according to SEIMC.

In some patients, ribavirin (an antiviral agent) has been shown to be effective. The possibility of co-infection with other agents must always be considered, which can increase the clinical picture which can be a treatment.

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