901 Situation of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) in Iranian Children From 2000 to 2009

Abstract

Aims: Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a viral tick-born disease which caused by CCHF virus. The virus belongs to Nairovirus genus and Bunyaviridae family, and is transmitted to humans by infected tick bite, handling of infected blood or tissues or nosocomially. In this survey, the probable sera were analyzed by serological and molecular techniques. Methods: Iranian CCHF probable children's sera were collected from 2000 to 2009. They were analyzed by specific IgM and IgG ELISA and RTPCR (Gel-Based and Real-Time) assays. Results: From 2000 to 2009, sera were collected of children with age range of 2 months to 14 years. The number of probable, confirmed, and death cases according to the year are respectively 2000 (10,1,0), 2001 (22,5,0), 2002 (18,5,0), 2003 (18,5,1), 2004 (7,1,0), 2005 (5,0,0), 2006(10, 2,0), 2007(8,3,0), 2008 (28, 9,2) and 2009 (24,2,1). Among the confirmed cases, 21 were boy and 12 were girl. This study demonstrated that the most infected province was Sistan-va-Balouchestan with 34.7% of confirmed cases. Conclusions: Because of neighboring to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Sistan-va-Baluchistan is the most infected province of Iran. Therefore, the children resident in the infected provinces are in high risk to CCHF. Also, we observed that their main ways of contamination were contact with tissue or blood of infected livestock, so informing children and their parents about routs of transmission will be useful for control of CCHF in the infected regions.