A nosocomial outbreak of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever at Tygerberg Hospital. Part V. Virological and serological observations.

Abstract

A nosocomial outbreak of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever occurred in Tygerberg Hospital near Cape Town in September 1984 when 7 medical personnel became ill after admission of an index patient. The disease was fatal in the index and 1 secondary case, and was confirmed in the index and 6 secondary cases by isolation of the virus. An antibody response was demonstrated in the remaining patient, thought to be a tertiary case, but the fact that the patient received immune plasma therapy raises doubts about the validity of the diagnosis. The index case had contact with ticks and horses but his infection could not be related to a specific incident.