Serosurvey of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus in Domestic Animals, Gujarat, India, 2013

Abstract

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne viral disease that causes a fatal hemorrhagic illness in humans. This disease is asymptomatic in animals. CCHF was first confirmed in a nosocomial outbreak in 2011 in Gujarat State. Another notifiable outbreak occurred in July, 2013, in Karyana Village, Amreli district, Gujarat State. Anti-CCHF virus (CCHFV) immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies were detected in domestic animals from the adjoining villages of the affected area, indicating a considerable amount of positivity against domestic animals. The present serosurvey was carried out to determine the prevalence of CCHFV among bovine, sheep, and goat populations from 15 districts of Gujarat State, India. A total of 1226 serum samples from domestic animals were screened for IgG antibodies using a CCHF animal IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Antibodies were detected in all the 15 districts surveyed; with positivity of 12.09%, 41.21%, and 33.62% in bovine, sheep, and goat respectively. This necessitates the surveillance of CCHFV IgG antibodies in animals and hemorrhagic fever cases in human.

Cross-sectional Serosurvey of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus IgG in Livestock, India, 2013–2014

“…A recent serosurvey conducted in 15 districts of Gujarat revealed the presence of CCHFV IgG in a substantial proportion of domestic animals ( 13 ) . On the basis of these data, we conducted a countrywide cross-sectional serosurvey of livestock to determine the presence of CCHFV in India.…”

Biosafety standards for working with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus

“…The disease is often milder in children than in adults (Tezer et al, 2010). Additionally, the circulation of CCHFV in endemic regions of Turkey is supported by serological studies on domestic and wild animals, with antibody prevalences reflecting the feeding preferences of the Hyalomma tick species that transmit the virus (Burt et al, 1993;Fajs et al, 2014;Mertens et al, 2015;Mourya et al, 2014;Shepherd et al, 1987a, b).…”

Second International Conference on Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever

“…Since its first detection, many nosocomial outbreaks and sporadic cases have been investigated and confirmed in Gujarat and the adjoining Rajasthan State, including a nosocomial outbreak in Ahmadabad, Gujarat State, in 2011 (Makwana et al, 2015; Mishra et al, 2011; Mourya et al, 2012; Yadav et al, 2013a; Yadav et al, 2016, 2014). Pragya also summarized the results of various studies, including surveys in ticks and a survey of anti-CCHFV IgG antibodies in livestock (Mourya et al, 2014a,b; Mourya et al, 2015). Animal serosurveys are considered very useful in indicating virus prevalence in an area; tick studies are less indicative, as the appropriate number of ticks that must be collected to be useful and predictive is not clear (Gurav et al, 2014; Mourya et al, 2014a,b; Mourya et al, 2015; Yadav et al, 2013b).…”

“…Pragya also summarized the results of various studies, including surveys in ticks and a survey of anti-CCHFV IgG antibodies in livestock (Mourya et al, 2014a,b; Mourya et al, 2015). Animal serosurveys are considered very useful in indicating virus prevalence in an area; tick studies are less indicative, as the appropriate number of ticks that must be collected to be useful and predictive is not clear (Gurav et al, 2014; Mourya et al, 2014a,b; Mourya et al, 2015; Yadav et al, 2013b). …”