Reproductive Immunology: Open Access

Community-based Investigation of CrimeanCongo Hemorrhagic Fever outbreak in a factory of a district located in Gujarat, India

Background: In the recent past, India has seen outbreaks of eight organisms of emerging and re-emerging diseases in various parts of the country, six of these are of zoonotic origin and five of viral origin. A Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) outbreak was reported in Gujarat, a state located in western India, in 2011. Thereafter, few cases were reported from the same state in August 2019. We report a community-based investigation of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever outbreak in a factory of a district located in Gujarat. Methodology: A Rapid Response Team conducted a community-based investigation of an outbreak following a suspected CCHF death in a factory in August 2019 to identify epidemiological determinants, mode of transmission and suggest remedial measures for early action. They undertook: interviews of workers, supervisor and possible contacts of dead person; inspected working place and surrounding environment for vectors and their breeding places. Results: Out of the 38 workers (22 males and 16 females) 18 (47.34%) were having one or more symptoms viz: respiratory infection (88.9%), followed by fever (44.4%) and headache (33.3%) indicating acute viral infection. Out of the 49 workers investigated, 34 were found to having thrombocytopenia. An open drainage tank near the quarters of workers was the suspected breeding place of Culex mosquitos. Two buffaloes in a farm adjacent to factory were having ticks on breast whose samples were collected. A comprehensive strategy comprising of; daily surveillance of factory workers, stopping migration, contact tracing, intensified tick control measures and health awareness program controlled the outbreak

Author(s):

MISRA. S

Abstract | Full-Text | PDF

Share this