Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever, Kosovo, 2013-2016

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Virology

Background:

• Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a severe tick-borne viral disease with significant mortality.
• Understanding prognostic indicators is crucial for managing CCHF outbreaks.

Observation:

• A study in Prishtina, Kosovo, between 2013-2016 monitored 32 CCHF patients.
• Eleven patients (34%) succumbed to the illness during the observation period.

Findings:

• Fatal CCHF cases presented with extremely high viral loads ( > 1 × 10^8.5/mL).
• Elevated lactate dehydrogenase levels ( > 2,700 U/mL) were noted in non-survivors.
• Hemorrhagic manifestations and impaired consciousness were common in patients who died.
• The antiviral drug ribavirin demonstrated no significant therapeutic effect in this cohort.

Implications:

• Identifying high-risk CCHF patients early is critical for resource allocation and supportive care.
• The limited efficacy of ribavirin suggests a need for novel therapeutic strategies against CCHF.
• This data highlights the severe clinical course and challenges in treating CCHF in the Balkan region.