title: Ocular findings in patients with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe ocular findings of patients with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, interventional, consecutive case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted in Sivas, a city located in the central Anatolia, between July 1 and August 31, 2007. Confirmed CCHF patients were enrolled in the study and underwent ocular examination during hospitalization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nineteen confirmed CCHF patients were included in this study. All patients were classified into 2 groups in terms of disease severity (severe vs nonsevere), according to the Swanepoel predictive criteria. Fourteen patients (73.7%) were classified as "nonsevere," and the remaining 5 patients (26.3%) were classified as "severe" in this study. One patient having severe disease died. Ocular findings were present in 14 patients (73.7%) and none of the patients presented any visual complaints. Ocular examination revealed that 7 patients (36.8%) had only bilateral multiple subconjunctival hemorrhage, and 2 patients (10.5%) (1 bilateral, 1 unilateral) had retinal hemorrhage. Five patients (26.3%) had subconjunctival hemorrhage and retinal hemorrhage. Follow-up examination 1 month later showed complete resorption of the subconjunctival hemorrhage and retinal hemorrhage. There was a statistically significant difference between patients with ocular findings and patients without ocular findings for prothrombin time (P = .011). There was no evidence of uveitis, retinal edema, sheathing of retinal vessels, or intravitreal hemorrhage in our patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  From the small sample study, CCHF caused a mild form of ocular disease. CCHF must be considered when subconjunctival or superficial retinal hemorrhages are seen in association with fever in endemic areas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Cumhuriyet University School of Medicine, Sivas, Turkey. aynurum2000@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Aynur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Engin
authors.forename: Haydar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Erdogan
authors.forename: Ayse Vural
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Ozec
authors.forename: Nazif
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Elaldi
authors.forename: Mustafa Ilker
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Toker
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bakir
authors.forename: Ilyas
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dokmetas
authors.forename: Mustafa Kemal
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Arici
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D003229:Conjunctival Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005130:Eye Hemorrhage / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D015828:Eye Infections, Viral / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D003225:Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Crimean-Congo / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006479:Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012166:Retinal Hemorrhage / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007075:Immunoglobulin M