Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in Turkey.
In 2002 and 2003, a total of 19 persons in Turkey had suspected cases of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) or a similar viral infection. Six serum samples were tested; all six were found positive for immunoglobulin M antibodies against CCHF virus. Two of the samples yielded CCHF virus isolates. Genetic analysis of the virus isolates showed them to be closely related to isolates from former Yugoslavia and southwestern Russia. These cases are the first of CCHF reported from Turkey. Eighteen patients handled livestock, and one was a nurse with probable nosocomial infection. The case-fatality rate was 20% among confirmed CCHF case-patients (1 of 5 patients), and the overall case-fatality rate was 11% (2 of 19 patients). In addition to previously reported symptoms and signs, we report hemophagocytosis in 50% of our patients, which is the first report of this clinical phenomenon associated with CCHF.
Karti
S Sami
SS
Karadeniz Technical University, School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology, Trabzon, Turkey. samikarti@yahoo.com
Odabasi
Zekaver
Z
Korten
Volkan
V
Yilmaz
Mustafa
M
Sonmez
Mehmet
M
Caylan
Rahmet
R
Akdogan
Elif
E
Eren
Necmi
N
Koksal
Iftihar
I
Ovali
Ercument
E
Erickson
Bobbie R
BR
Vincent
Martin J
MJ
Nichol
Stuart T
ST
Comer
James A
JA
Rollin
Pierre E
PE
Ksiazek
Thomas G
TG
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D003225:Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Crimean-Congo / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006479:Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010587:Phagocytosis; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M