Clinical and laboratory features of the course of the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in Uzbekistan

Abstract

Objective: In this research, the clinical and laboratory characteristics of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in Uzbekistan were studied. The study is considered useful for prevention and case detection, especially in condition of limited sources.Materials and Methods: This study was aimed to determine the clinical and laboratory characteristics of 81 confirmed cases of CCHF among patients who were admitted to infectious diseases hospitals in Uzbekistan from June 2011 to June 2018. The results of this study are based on a retrospective analysis of all confirmed patients.Results: 81 patients with CCHF confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods were examined. The research participants were mainly rural residents – 73 people (90%), 7 people from cities (8.5%), 1 person (1.5%) – a resident of the capital – Tashkent. The age of the patients ranged from 14 to 66 years, with an average of 35.9 ± 12.4 years. 39.5% (32 people) of the participants were women, the remaining 60.5% (49 people) were men. Mortality was 23% (19 patients) with an insignificant difference between men and women (p = 0.8). Most cases were reported from June to September.Conclusion: The occurrence of CCHF among rural residents once again confirms the geographical features and focal nature of the infection. The high contagiousness of the disease is demonstrated by the infection of medical workers, due to the close contact of staff with patients.We did not note the significant relationship between mortality and the period from the onset of the disease to hospitalization. However, there was a strong correlation of mortality with the days of hospital stay, with the blood clotting time and with the level of consciousness of patients.