A few weeks ago, an alert was issued in Maharashtra after confirmed cases of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) were reported. While the country is struggling with one pandemic, the advent of another outbreak can be very daunting. The article aims to provide a quick primer on the disease definition and other aspects revolving around it. Epidemiology and causes Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a disease transmitted by ticks from the genus Hyalomma, particularly by Hyalomma marginatum.
More than 1000 human cases of this disease have been reported so far with the first case reported in India in the year 2011. The most common viral reservoirs are domestic animals such as sheep, cattle, goats, and pigs where they latch on to the animals for 2-13 days. The virus then begins to replicate inside the cattle host. While the virus cannot survive outside the host, it remains active in…
