Congo fever

Congo fever

Congo fever (Crimean – Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF)) is a viral disease. This virus is very common in East and West Africa and originates from Hyalomma tick. The virus was first identified in 1944 in a country called Crimea. Then in 1969 the disease appeared in the Congo. Then it was named CCHF. Then in 2001, its outbreak also increased in Pakistan, South Africa and Iran.

Specialty	Infectious disease

Symptoms	Fever, muscle pains, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding into the skin
Complications	Liver failure
Usual onset	Rapid
Duration	Two weeks
Diagnostic method	Detecting antibodies, the virus's RNA, or the virus itself
Differential diagnosis	Dengue fever, Q fever,Ebola virus disease
Treatment	Supportive care, ribavirin
Prognosis	Risk of death ~25%

* Are symptoms of this infection seen for the first time in India?

Yes, this disease was not recorded in India before. According to the World Health Organization, the infection is found in many countries in Africa, Europe and Asia. During 2001, a large number of cases were found in Kosovo, Albania, Iran, Pakistan and South Africa.

Symptoms of this infection first appeared in the year 1944 in Crimea. In 1969, it was found that a similar infection was spread in the Congo and hence this virus is known as Crimean Congo Virus.

Dangers to live with animals

The parasite called 'Himalor', which clings to the skin of animals is a carrier of the disease. Therefore, the risk of getting vulnerable is more to those people who are in contact with cow, buffalo, goat, sheep and dog etc.

Although animals are usually the victims, the infection spreads to humans as well. People prone to the disease are highly prone to death and once infected, it can take three to nine days to spread completely in the body.

* How does it spread?

- Investigation of some suspicious cases is going on. In animals, the disease is spread by ticks or fleas. But this disease is very dangerous because 30 to 80 percent cases of such infection die.
Death occurs due to rapid leakage of blood from the body and failure of various body parts simultaneously.

According to the World Health Organization, when infected, symptoms such as fever are felt with body pains, dizziness and head ache, eye irritation and fear of light. Some people have backache and nausea and throat.

* What steps are being taken to overcome this?

After the symptoms of infection have been reported, hospitals have been advised to take all measures to prevent it from spreading. Relatives of the afflicted person and the doctors treating them have been asked to protect themselves from the liquids emanating from the body of the sick.
People have been asked to contact the hospital immediately on receiving symptoms of infection in themselves or someone's life. The Gujarat government has started screening in Ahmedabad hospitals and nearby villages to identify such patients.

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