Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever in a Greek worker returning from Bulgaria, June 2018

Euro Surveill. 2018 Aug;23(35):1800432. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2018.23.35.1800432.

Abstract

We report a tick-borne case of severe Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) imported into Greece from Bulgaria. The patient presented severe thrombocytopenia, hemophagocytosis, haemodynamic instability, large haematomas and altered mental status. Supportive treatment and ribavirin were administered. Symptoms started one day after the tick was removed; the patient was discharged from the hospital 26 days after symptom onset. No secondary cases were observed. Phylogenetically the CCHF virus strain belongs to clade Europe 1.

Keywords: Bulgaria; Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever; Greece; imported; tick bite.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bulgaria
  • Greece
  • Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Crimean-Congo / isolation & purification*
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean / diagnosis*
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Ribavirin / therapeutic use
  • Thrombocytopenia / etiology*
  • Ticks / virology
  • Transients and Migrants
  • Travel*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Ribavirin