For the first time in France, the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) virus was detected in ticks of the Hyalomma marginatum species in the Pyrénées-Orientales.
- For the first time that the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) virus has been detected in ticks of the Hyalomma marginatum species in France.
- In rare cases, this virus can cause hemorrhagic fever, which can be severe with a case fatality rate of 5 to 30%.
- In the event of a tick bite, you should monitor the person’s general condition and consult a doctor if you experience symptoms.
The Hyalomma tick – or more precisely the species Hyalomma marginatum – has been present in the South of France for several years, according to the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (Anses). But this is the first time that the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) virus has been detected in this insect in France.
The Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus in the Pyrénées-Orientales
It is the Center for International Cooperation in Agricultural Research for Development (Cirad) who detected the FHCC virus in ticks collected from cattle in the Pyrénées-Orientales October 6, 2023according to Public Health France. These results were confirmed by the National Reference Center for Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (CNR) of the Institut Pasteur.
CCHF is a disease caused by a species of virus Nairovirus – family of Bunyaviridae – transmitted to humans by ticks of the kind Hyalomma infected adult. In humans, the infection most often remains asymptomatic or with very few symptoms. If the patient shows signs, they are generally limited to a flu syndrome with digestive disorders. “However, the virus can cause hemorrhagic fever, which can be severe with a case fatality rate of 5 to 30%.”specifies Public Health France in its press release of October 24.
However, if the virus of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever has been spotted in ticks, the health authorities want to be reassuring: “No autochthonous case (infection acquired on French territory) has been detected in humans in France to date.”
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever: avoiding tick bites
Currently, there is no curative or preventive treatment for Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. “The treatment (…) is mainly based on supportive symptomatic treatment with a general aim”, explains the WHO.
In the absence of vaccine or treatment, the main way to reduce the risk of infection in humans is to protect against tick bites. To do this, Santé Publique France recommends:
- wear closed shoes and covering clothing when walking in nature;
- avoid walking among grass, bushes and low branches and favor marked paths;
- use skin repellents;
- inspect yourself after returning from walks in the forest, in the scrub and scrubland or in the garden.
If, despite all these precautions, the tick manages to bite, you must immediately detach the insect from the person’s skin and monitor its general condition for several days. If symptoms appear, seek medical attention promptly.