Public Health France advises on risk of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in the south of France and Corsica
In October 2023, and for the first time in France, the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHF) was detected in ticks of the Hyalomma marginatum species collected from cattle in the Pyrénées-Orientales and Corsica.
No human cases have been diagnosed in France to date. However, the risk of infection has now been demonstrated because Hyalomma ticks infected with the virus are present in the south of France.
As the summer season approaches, the Directorate General of Health, ANSES and Public Health France remind the preventive measures to be adopted for the general public to avoid catching this disease.
Transmission of the virus to humans by tick can be rapid from the moment the tick is bitten into the skin.
The main way to protect yourself against Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is therefore to avoid tick bites from Hyalomma marginatum.
For this, it is recommended to adopt certain measures in the spring and in summer, in places where Hyalomma marginatum is present:
• Wear clothing that covers the legs and arms, light colored to see better the tick
• Wear closed shoes
• Regularly inspect your body and that children during activities in the areas where the tick may be present throughout the activity
• Carry a tick remover or fine tweezers during these activities to remove the tick quickly if it bites you
Skin repellents have limited effectiveness. Their use should not be substitute for preventive measures stated above.
What to do if bitten by a Hyalomma marginatum tick or another tick?
In an area where Hyalomma marginatum may be present:
• Remove it with a tick remover or pliers fine. If you do not have these tools with you, don't wait and remove it with your fingers taking it as close as possible to the skin, if possible by protecting your fingers (with a glove, a handkerchief)
• Disinfect the puncture site after removing the tick with a disinfectant or with soap and water if you don't have any step and wash your hands
• Photograph the tick if you can
• Within 14 days after the bite: if you suddenly experience one of the following symptoms: fever, headaches, pain in the muscles or joints
See a doctor saying that you were bitten by a tick during of the consultation (and showing him the tick that bit you if you have it photo taken)
• Within 30 days following the bite, other symptoms may appear, linked to other diseases transmitted by ticks, talk to your doctor.