New strain of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever: what are the symptoms of this tick-borne disease that kills up to 40% of infected people?

On Tuesday, Russian scientists at Sechenov University in Moscow discovered a new strain of the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fevera disease with a fatality rate of up to 40%, which worries them.

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Kills up to 40% of patients: what is this new strain of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, due to a Nairovirus, discovered in Russia?

pathology, caused by a nairovirus of the family of Bunyaviridae, it is endemic in various countries ofAfricasince Balkansof Middle East and in some asian states.
He is also occasionally responsible for epidemic waves in the regions of the south of russialocated between the Black, Azov and Caspian seas on the borders of Ukraine, Georgia and Kazakhstan : in the Stavropol, Rostov, Astrakhan and Volgograd regions, Kalmykia, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Karachayevo-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria, the Tass news agency recalls.

Cases are also occasionally seen in Europe. In May 2020, a man had to be hospitalized in Spain after being bitten by a tick in a pine forest in the province of Salamanca. Seroepidemiological surveys have shown that the virus circulates in both Tunisia and Spain.

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Transmitted to humans primarily by ticks and livestock, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever can be spread from person to person through contact with blood, secretions, or other bodily fluids.

From one to thirteen days of incubation

the incubation period depends on the mode of contamination:

• After a tick bite For example, it is usually one to three dayss, with a maximum of nine days.
• After contact with blood or infected tissueis usually 5 to 6 dayswith a documented maximum of 13 days.

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Sudden onset of symptoms

So the appearance of symptom The following is brutal:

• feversince myalgia (muscle pains),
• dizziness,
• rigidity Y efforts of the neckme,
• Back pain,
• Headaches,
• eye sensitivity Y photophobia (sensation of discomfort caused by light).

Sometimes in the beginning nausea are observed vomitingof the Diarrheasince abdominal pains and a throat painafter sudden mood swingsry and the confusion.

After two to four days, the agitation can give way to a drowsinessa depression, fatigue; to them abdominal pains are located in the upper right quadrant withon palpation, one hepatomegaly (increased liver volume).

Up to severe liver or lung failure

Other clinical signs are associated with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever:

• tachycardia (increased heart rate),
• adenopathies (swollen lymph nodes),
• petechial rash (rash caused by bleeding skin) inside the mucous membranes, such as in the mouth or throat, and on the skin.
• Petechiae can lead to the formation of larger rashes, called bruises and of others hemorrhagic phenomena.
• there are usually signs of hepatitis and the most severely affected individuals may develop a rapid decline in kidney function, liver or lung failure sudden from the fifth day of illness.

no vaccine

In man, since there is currently no vaccine safe, effective, and widely available, treatment of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever relies primarily on treatment of symptoms. Ribavirin (an antiviral) is most often given with good results. Its administration seems effective both orally and intravenously.

the mortality rate due to Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever can reach up to 40% According to the WHO, the dead happening during the second week of illnessme.

For those who recoverthe general condition begins to improve from nine to ten days laterIt’s the onset of symptoms.