Senegal: Additional Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) case reported
In a follow-up from Senegal, the Ministry of Health (MOH) reported an additional human Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) case this year, this one in Matam.
To date, two confirmed cases have been reported, the other reported in Dakar.
This most recent case has been managed and stabilized, officials report.
Human CCHF infection mainly occurs after the bite of an infected tick or exposure to blood or tissues from infected animals; human-to-human transmission, particularly in healthcare settings, has also been reported.
CCHF causes clinical manifestations in humans ranging from asymptomatic infection to severe hemorrhagic fever. The case-fatality rate (CFR) during outbreaks is typically 5%–30%, but CFRs of up to 62% have been reported.
CCHF is the most geographically widespread tickborne disease, identified in >30 countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe located south of the 50th parallel north.
The annual incidence is estimated to be 10,000–15,000 cases worldwide but has been slowly and steadily rising. That increase in incidence is thought to be caused by the expanding range of its main vector, Hyalomma ticks, and by increased testing.
Most cases occur after tick bites; the second most common means of exposure is through bodily fluids and tissue from infected animals; and last, human-to-human transmission can occur in the healthcare setting.