title: Nosocomial outbreak of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever.
abstract: We report a nosocomial outbreak of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) that affected six patients in June 2009 in Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad, Iran, apparently related to one index case. The last four cases were healthcare workers. Infection was spread by percutaneous exposure to two cases, and probably by direct contact with blood, clothes and sheets, to three others. The diagnosis in the two fatal cases was not confirmed virologically. The diagnosis in four cases who survived was confirmed by specific reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The patients were treated with ribavirin. In endemic areas, every patient presenting with a febrile haemorrhagic syndrome should be considered to have a viral haemorrhagic fever until proven otherwise. Patients who meet the criteria for probable CCHF should be admitted to hospital and treated with ribavirin. Appropriate isolation precautions should be immediately initiated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Imam Reza General Hospital, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Naderi
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Sarvghad
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bojdy
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hadizadeh
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sadeghi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sheybani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D003225:Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Crimean-Congo; D006479:Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012254:Ribavirin