Germany is conducting studies to isolate the most virulent strains of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever.
- Treatment of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever only relieves the symptoms of illness.
- This disease is endemic in Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East and Asia as well as in countries below the 50th degree of northern latitude.
At the end of June, researchers from Sechenov University in Moscow discovered a new strain of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in southern Russia. “The Bundeswehr, i.e. the German army, carried out an investigation into the fatal cases of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in Ukraine in order to isolate the most pathogenic strains”, told the Russian News Agency RIA NovostiIgor Kirillov, the head of the radiation protection, chemical and biological protection troops of the Russian Armed Forces.
According to the agency, Bundeswehr military biologists carried out a large-scale screening of the Ukrainian population for Crimean-Congo fever. This approach makes it possible to identify new regional genotypes of the virus, called “Nairovirus” from the Bunyaviridae family, and to select the strains which cause latent clinical forms.
“The lethality of the disease can reach 30%”
As a reminder, the “Nairovirus” is mainly transmitted to humans from ticks and farm animals. According to’World Health Organization, human-to-human transmission can occur through direct contact with blood, secretions, organs or body fluids of infected patients. This condition is manifested by fever, muscle pain, dizziness, headache, nausea or diarrhea.
“The interest of the Bundeswehr in Crimean-Congo fever is due to the fact that the lethality of the disease can reach 30% and that epidemics necessitate long and expensive measures of treatment, prevention and special treatment”, said Igor Kirillov. To date, no vaccine can cure this pathology, whether for humans or animals.
