Absence of IgG antibodies among high-risk contacts of two confirmed cases of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever in the autonomous region of Madrid (Spain)

• Main Authors: Pello Latasa, Fernando de Ory, José Ramón Arribas, Maria Ángeles Sánchez-Uriz, Ignacio Sanchez-Arcilla, María Ordobás, Anabel Negredo, Elena Trigo, Pilar Delgado, Marco Marzola, Maria Ángeles Lopaz, María Paz Sánchez-Seco, Fernando de la Calle-Prieto, Pilar Ferrera, Elena Rodriguez, Alejandro Martín, Maria Felipa del Cerro, Esther Córdoba, Marta Mora-Rillo, Maria José Esteban
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2020-10-01
• Series: Journal of Infection and Public Health
• Subjects: Health surveillance; Infectious disease transmission; Serology; Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus; Spain
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876034120305967

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a widely distributed tick-borne disease. In Spain, the disease has emerged as outbreak associated with high-risk exposures. Our goal was to evaluate the prevalence of antibodies against the CCHF virus (CCHFV) in high-risk contacts. A cross-sectional study was conducted. Three hundred eighty-six high-risk contacts were identified comprising family contacts and hospital workers who had attended the cases. Fifty-seven cases with closer exposure were selected. However, forty-nine cases participated in the study. IgG antibodies were detected by immunoenzymatic techniques. All determinations tested negative for anti-CCHFV IgG antibodies. Most of the responders were women (73.5%), and belong to the intensive care department (53.1%). In relation to other possible sources of exposures, 18.4% travelled to countries with CCHF transmission risk. No CCHF positivity was recorded among selected high-risk contacts. This highlights the importance of standard precautions which might have protected healthcare workers and care providers from CCHF infection.