Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Diagnostics

Kim Jin-Won, Kim Yu-ri, Kang Byung Hak, Rhie Gi-eun
Division of High-risk Pathogens, Center for Laboratory Control of Infectious Diseases, KCDC

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne viral hemorrhagic illness caused by the CCHF virus. CCHF outbreaks are sporadic in Africa, Asia, Southeastern Europe, and the Middle East. There have also been reports of imported cases in France, the United Kingdom, Greece and Germany. The incubation period for CCHF following a tick bite is usually 1 to 13 days. The initial symptoms are non-specific and include fever, fatigue, headache and gastrointestinal symptoms, such as vomiting and diarrhoea. The differential diagnosis of CCHF is compromised by clinical symptoms from other endemic febrile illnesses during the early onset stage. Therefore, exposure history and laboratory diagnostics in suspected persons play an important role in diagnosis.

Keywords: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, laboratory diagnosis