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Analysis of lymphocyte subgroups in Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever
Esragül Akinci1, Mesude Yilmaz, Hürrem Bodur
1Clinic of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital, Samanpazari, Ankara, Turkey. esragulakinci@yahoo.com
Insights
Higher CD3+CD8+ T cells were found in fatal Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) cases. This immune response, despite being cytotoxic, did not prevent mortality, suggesting other factors influence CCHF outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
- Public Health
Background:
- Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a severe tick-borne viral illness with significant mortality.
- Understanding the host immune response, particularly lymphocyte dynamics, is crucial for CCHF pathogenesis and treatment.
- Previous research has not fully elucidated the role of specific lymphocyte subgroups in CCHF outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between lymphocyte subgroups and mortality in CCHF patients.
- To compare lymphocyte profiles in fatal versus non-fatal CCHF cases.
- To explore the correlation between lymphocyte subgroups and CCHF viral load.
Main Methods:
- Peripheral blood samples were collected from hospitalized CCHF patients.
- Lymphocyte subgroups were analyzed using fluorescence-activated cell sorting.
- CCHF confirmation involved PCR for viral RNA and/or ELISA for IgM antibodies.
Main Results:
- Seventy-seven confirmed CCHF cases were analyzed, with a 6.5% fatality rate.
- Fatal CCHF cases showed significantly higher CD3+CD8+ T cells compared to non-fatal cases.
- A positive correlation was observed between viral load and CD3+CD8+ T cell counts.
Conclusions:
- Elevated CD3+CD8+ T lymphocytes indicate cytotoxic immune activation in fatal CCHF.
- This immune activation did not prevent fatal outcomes, suggesting multifactorial influences.
- Further research is needed to clarify the role of viral load and other factors in CCHF pathogenesis.
Objectives:
This study examined the association between lymphocyte subgroups and mortality in patients with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in Turkey.
Methods:
During the spring and summer of 2007, peripheral blood was collected from hospitalized patients with suspected CCHF. Lymphocyte subgroups were characterized by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. CCHF cases were confirmed by detecting viral RNA by PCR and/or IgM antibodies by ELISA. Lymphocyte subgroups were compared between fatal and non-fatal cases. The correlation between lymphocyte subgroups and viral loads was also investigated.
Results:
Seventy-seven confirmed cases of CCHF were included in this study (five cases were fatal (6.5 %)). No differences in lymphocyte subgroups were found between fatal and non-fatal cases, except for significantly higher CD3+CD8+ T cells in the fatal cases (p=0.017). A positive correlation between viral load and CD3+CD8+ T cells was also detected (p=0.044). There was no correlation between other lymphocyte subgroups and viral load.
Conclusions:
Higher levels of CD3+CD8+ T lymphocytes were detected in fatal compared to non-fatal CCHF cases. Despite this cytotoxic immune activation, a fatal outcome could not be prevented. We hypothesize that high viral load and other factors may influence this outcome, although more studies are required to explain the pathogenesis of CCHF.
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