Crimean- Congo was first founded in Crimea in the year 1944 and was called Crimean Hemorrhagic fever. It was later found in Congo, and after it is named as Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever.
How Crimean- Congo Hemorrhagic fever is affected?
Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever is a viral disease that affects people who are bitten by infected pulses or one who come in direct contact with blood and tissues of infected animals or patients. This disease is most common in Africa, Asia, East Europe and the Middle East.
Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever is affected by a virus belonging to a group called Nairovirus. The virus infects wild animals and domestic animals like sheep and cattle through impulse bites. Humans are infected when they come in direct contact with blood or tissues from infected animals or bites of infected ticks. Thus, people who work in close contact with animals, where people work in agriculture, veterinary hospitals etc., are at a higher risk of getting the disease.
Once a human is affected, the infection spreads to others, when people come in contact with the patient’s infected blood or body fluids. Infection could also spread in hospitals during injections and surgical processes.
Symptoms of Crimean- Congo Hemorrhagic Fever:
· High Fever
· Head ache
· Joint & Muscle ache
· Stomach Pain
· Loose Motion
· Patient infected by this virus may also suffer from severe bleeding, Jaundice, convulsions & Coma.
· Diagnosis of Crimean- Congo Hemorrhagic Fever:
· People suffering from this fever are diagnosed by tests like ELISA, isolation of the virus, antigen detection, and polymerase chain reaction.
· Patient affected by this fever is treated with circulatory fluids and an antiviral drug ribavirin.
Precautions to be taken by the people:
· People should take sufficient protections to avoid being infected in epidemics.
· People exposed to domestic animals or those suffering from activities like hiking should wear protective things to avoid impulse bites.
· Hospital staff should also take adequate precautions while treating patients with this disease.
· Ribavarin may be controlled by affecting to people coming in close contact with patients who are suffering from this fever.