Spain has recorded two cases of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CHFC) and one of them died in Bierzo (Leon). This has been confirmed by the Ministry of Health in a new report prepared by the Center for Coordination of Health Alerts and Emergencies.
The fact is that it is not the first time that an infection of this type has been recorded in Castilla y León. Because June 10, 2021 has been confirmed another case in a womanalso resident of Bierzo, although in this case the disease was not worse.
Between 2013 and 2022, a total of 12 cases including 4 deaths were reported in our country. Some data that make the transmission of this disease in Spain classified as “low”. “The risk of transmission of CCHF in the Bierzo region, as in the rest of the areas where the circulation of the virus has been demonstrated in ticks, animals or human cases have been detected, is moderateespecially in the population most exposed to tick bites – people in contact with animals or who practice outdoor activities in the countryside – “, according to the health agency.
Although it is not a particular risk disorder for a large part of the population, here are some keys about it, its symptoms and if it has a treatment:
What is CCHF
It is the most widespread disease in the world due to the bite of ticks, with a particular incidence in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe, where it is considered “emerging“, according to World Health Organization (WHO). Additionally, it causes severe outbreaks of viral hemorrhagic fever, with a case fatality rate of between 10% and 40%, according to the WHO.
how does it spread
The main vector of contagion is the bite of hard ticks (also called ticks). Ixodidae). However, it can also be transmitted by direct contact with the secretions, fluids or skin of an animal that is in the acute phase of the disease.
Prevention
It is recommended to stay away from wild animals, although cases of CCHF can also occur on farms, so it is virtually impossible to prevent its spread in these places. It is also advisable to wear long-sleeved clothes and closed shoes in rural areas, as well as to avoid sitting or walking in places with a lot of vegetation and to use authorized repellents on people and animals. pets.
Symptoms
After the incubation period, which usually lasts between nine and thirteen days, signs of having contracted this disorder are manifested by fever, myalgia, muscle aches, dizziness, neck pain and stiffness, headache, eye irritation and hypersensitivity to light. Three days after presenting the first symptoms, drowsiness, depression and fatigue may occur.
how it is detected
The diagnosis can be made in different ways:
1) Isolation of the virus,
2) Detection of the genome by PCR
3) Enzyme immunoassay (ELISA)
4) Seroneutralization
Is there a vaccine?
Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent or cure CCHF. No specific treatment has been developed either, although ribavirin has been used, with positive results.