NewsDesk @bactiman63

Iranian health officials have reported a significant increase in Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) cases in deaths in 2022 compared to recent years.

Image/tetracarbon via pixabay

Since March, Iran reported 78 CCHF cases, including nine deaths.

Last year (March 2021-March 2022), 13 persons were diagnosed with CCHF in the country, a 500 percent increase, of whom 2 died, and a year before that, CCHF infected 40 people and claimed 5 lives.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is a widespread disease caused by a tick-borne virus (Nairovirus) of the Bunyaviridae family. The CCHF virus causes severe viral hemorrhagic fever outbreaks, with a case fatality rate of 10–40%.

Animals become infected by the bite of infected ticks and the virus remains in their bloodstream for about one week after infection, allowing the tick-animal-tick cycle to continue when another tick bites. Although a number of tick genera are capable of becoming infected with CCHF virus, ticks of the genus Hyalomma are the principal vector.

The CCHF virus is transmitted to people either by tick bites or through contact with infected animal blood or tissues during and immediately after slaughter. The majority of cases have occurred in people involved in the livestock industry, such as agricultural workers, slaughterhouse workers and veterinarians. Human-to-human transmission is possible.