Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) belongs to the Bunyaviridae virus family. CCHF spreads to humans either by tick bites, or through contact with affected animal tissues immediately after slaughter. Person-to-person transmission of CCHF has occurred in health care settings after exposure to blood and secretions of infected patients.
The incubation period for CCHF following a tick bite is usually 1 to 3 days or 5 to 6 days following contact with blood or tissues. The onset of symptoms among CCHF patients is sudden with fever, myalgia and other signs and symptoms. The reported case fatality ratio for CCHF is between 3% and 30%.
General supportive therapy is the mainstay of patient management in CCHF. Intensive monitoring to guide volume and blood component replacement is required. The antiviral drug, ribavirin, has been used in the treatment of established CCHF infection. Both oral and intravenous formulations are effective.
Among the ways to reduce infection in people is by raising awareness of the risk factors and educating people about the measures they can take to reduce exposure to the virus.