Castilla y León confirms a case of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in Salamanca

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The health authority of Castilla y León has confirmed the existence of a case of Crimean-Gongo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) caused by the bite of a tick in an elderly man who is hospitalized in Salamanca, sources from the autonomous administration.

The patient is in a stable situation, within seriousness, at the Salamanca Hospital and with the pertinent isolation and protection measures for this type of situations.

The case has been confirmed by the Ministry of Health after analyzes carried out by the National Microbiology Center of the Carlos III Health Institute, located in Majadahonda (Madrid).

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is a consequence of a virus that is mainly transmitted by the bite of a tick of the Hyaloma genus, as occurred in this case, although it can also be communicated between people through contact with the patient’s blood or fluids.

Health authorities, as preventive measures, remember the importance of wearing appropriate clothing and footwear during outings in the countryside, as well as traveling on roads and using repellents for both people and pets.

Ticks that may have attached should be removed as soon as possible and appropriately, preferably by health professionals, according to the same sources.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is one of the human viral diseases that most concerns the World Health Organization due to its high mortality, the lack of effective vaccines, its capacity for transmission from person to person and the enormous capacity for mutation of the virus. virus that causes it.

10 of 95 ticks in El Bierzo

A study carried out by researchers from the Institute for Research in Game Resources (IREC) of the University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM) and the Higher Council for Scientific Research has managed to detect the Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus in the 10.5% of the ticks captured and analyzed in a peri-urban area of ​​Ponferrada (León).

According to a study released by the Health and Biotechnology Research Group (SaBio) of the IREC and consulted by Efe, 10 of 95 ticks analyzed in this region of El Bierzo – where since 2021 three clinical cases in humans have been reported, with one death. for this disease – carried the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus.