Geographical distribution and surveillance of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in Iran

Abstract

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is viral hemorrhagic fever caused by CCHF virus, which belongs to the family Bunyaviridae and the genus Nairovirus. The virus is transmitted to humans via contact with blood and tissue from infected livestock, a tick bite, or contact with an infected person. Since 2000, we have shown the disease to be prevalent in 23 out of 30 provinces of Iran. Among those, Sistan-va-Baluchistan, Isfahan, Fars, Tehran, Khorasan, and Khuzestan demonstrated the highest infection, respectively. Notably, Sistan-va-Baluchistan province, southeast of Iran, has the highest prevalence of CCHF, and has shown to be present since at least 2000. Phylogenetic study of the CCHF virus genome isolated from Iranian patients showed a close relationship with the CCHF Matin strain (Pakistan). Our epidemiological data in the last decade have implied that the severity and fatality rate of the disease has ranged variably in different provinces of Iran. More pathogenesis and phylogenetic studies should therefore be investigated to clarify these differences.