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NEW DELHI: A potentially lethal disease, believed to have a fatality rate of up to 40% among those infected, has been identified in France for the first time. Ticks carrying the Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) have been discovered on the French border with Spain. This disease, which is related to the infamous Ebola virus, is prevalent in regions such as Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the Balkans.It has occasionally been detected in southern parts of Western Europe, including Spain. Experts have consistently warned that climate change could push this disease further north into Europe, and even Britain might be vulnerable, a Daily Mail report said.
The live ticks, which were found to be carriers of this deadly disease, were collected from cattle in the Pyrénées Orientales region. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified CCHF as one of its nine priority diseases this year due to the potential threat it poses. The primary mode of transmission of CCHF to humans is through tick bites. However, it can also spread through contact with bodily fluids from infected individuals.
The symptoms of CCHF are eerily similar to those of Ebola in the initial stages. Infected individuals may experience muscle aches, abdominal pain, a sore throat, and vomiting. As the disease progresses, it can lead to bleeding, typically from the nose or due to broken capillaries in the eyes and skin. Other symptoms include fever, dizziness, neck pain, backache, headache, sore eyes, and light sensitivity.
Unfortunately, there is no vaccine available for CCHF. The primary treatment strategy revolves around supporting the patient long enough for their body to combat the infection. Past outbreaks of CCHF have reported mortality rates ranging between 10% and 40%, as per WHO data.
UK health authorities have issued advisories for travelers to the affected region in France, emphasizing the importance of avoiding tick bites, the Daily Mai report said. Those engaging in activities like camping, hiking, or interacting with animals in the region are particularly susceptible to tick bites. While cases of CCHF have been previously reported in France, they were all imported, meaning the individuals were infected overseas. This recent discovery marks the first time the disease has been directly identified from ticks within the country.
Neighboring Spain has reported multiple CCHF infections in humans, with 12 cases identified between 2013 and August of the previous year, resulting in four fatalities. The first detection of ticks with CCHF in Spain dates back to 2010.
The primary vector for CCHF transmission to humans is the Hyalomma marginatum tick, which is approximately 5mm in length and is identifiable by its two-colored legs with whitish rings at the joints. Professor James Wood, the head of veterinary medicine at Cambridge University, cautioned that the UK could soon see the spread of diseases like CCHF. He expressed concerns that potential outbreaks might initially go unnoticed due to the lack of familiarity among UK medics with the disease, the report said.
The emergence of CCHF in France highlights the need for more surveillance and research on this virus and other emerging infectious diseases that pose a threat to global health and security. It also underscores the importance of international cooperation and coordination to prevent and respond to such outbreaks. CCHF may be a rare and remote disease, but it could become a serious and widespread problem if not contained.
The live ticks, which were found to be carriers of this deadly disease, were collected from cattle in the Pyrénées Orientales region. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified CCHF as one of its nine priority diseases this year due to the potential threat it poses. The primary mode of transmission of CCHF to humans is through tick bites. However, it can also spread through contact with bodily fluids from infected individuals.
The symptoms of CCHF are eerily similar to those of Ebola in the initial stages. Infected individuals may experience muscle aches, abdominal pain, a sore throat, and vomiting. As the disease progresses, it can lead to bleeding, typically from the nose or due to broken capillaries in the eyes and skin. Other symptoms include fever, dizziness, neck pain, backache, headache, sore eyes, and light sensitivity.
Unfortunately, there is no vaccine available for CCHF. The primary treatment strategy revolves around supporting the patient long enough for their body to combat the infection. Past outbreaks of CCHF have reported mortality rates ranging between 10% and 40%, as per WHO data.
UK health authorities have issued advisories for travelers to the affected region in France, emphasizing the importance of avoiding tick bites, the Daily Mai report said. Those engaging in activities like camping, hiking, or interacting with animals in the region are particularly susceptible to tick bites. While cases of CCHF have been previously reported in France, they were all imported, meaning the individuals were infected overseas. This recent discovery marks the first time the disease has been directly identified from ticks within the country.
Neighboring Spain has reported multiple CCHF infections in humans, with 12 cases identified between 2013 and August of the previous year, resulting in four fatalities. The first detection of ticks with CCHF in Spain dates back to 2010.
The primary vector for CCHF transmission to humans is the Hyalomma marginatum tick, which is approximately 5mm in length and is identifiable by its two-colored legs with whitish rings at the joints. Professor James Wood, the head of veterinary medicine at Cambridge University, cautioned that the UK could soon see the spread of diseases like CCHF. He expressed concerns that potential outbreaks might initially go unnoticed due to the lack of familiarity among UK medics with the disease, the report said.
The emergence of CCHF in France highlights the need for more surveillance and research on this virus and other emerging infectious diseases that pose a threat to global health and security. It also underscores the importance of international cooperation and coordination to prevent and respond to such outbreaks. CCHF may be a rare and remote disease, but it could become a serious and widespread problem if not contained.
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