- Europe is currently experiencing a heatwave and wildfires, raising fears about the spread of viruses common in colder areas.
- The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a warning about Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), a potentially lethal sickness spread by ticks.
What exactly is CCHF?
- CCHF is a viral hemorrhagic fever spread mostly by ticks.
- It can also be contracted by coming into contact with viraemic animal tissues while slaughtering animals.
- CCHF outbreaks can cause epidemics with a high case-fatality ratio (10-40%), making prevention and treatment difficult.
Transmission as well as Hosts
- The virus can be found in the tick family of insects.
- Cattle, goats, sheep, and hares are all amplifying hosts for the virus.
- Contact with infected ticks or animal blood can expose humans to CCHF.
- The virus can also be passed from person to person by contact with infectious blood or bodily fluids.
- Ticks can be carried by migrating birds, allowing the virus to spread over great distances.
Treatment and Symptoms
- Fever, muscle aches, disorientation, neck and back discomfort, headache, painful eyes, and light sensitivity are all common symptoms of CCHF.
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal discomfort, and sore throat are common early symptoms, followed by mood swings and bewilderment.
- Sleepiness, sadness, and lassitude may occur in later phases.
- There is no vaccine for CCHF in humans or animals, and therapy focuses on symptom management.
- Ribavirin, an antiviral medication, has been used to treat CCHF infection with some success.
CCHF spread in Europe
- CCHF is found in Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East, and portions of Asia.
- In 2016, Spain reported the first CCHF fatality in Europe.
- Scientists warn that CCHF, which can be fatal in 10% to 40% of cases, is expanding northward and westward across Europe.
- CCHF cases have been documented in Spain, Russia, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.
Causes of this spread
- Pathogens are benefiting from disrupted temperature patterns caused by climate change.
- Due to longer and drier summers induced by climate change, CCHF ticks are migrating northward through Europe.
- Climate change contributes to disease spread by extending tick habitats, changing water habitats, and promoting animal movement and human interactions.
Source: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/crimean-congo-haemorrhagic-fever