Epidemiological study of the 2023 Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever outbreak in Iraq

Abstract

BackgroundCrimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne virus disease that is of a high concern for global healthcare systems since there is not yet a specific treatment or vaccination available for it. The disease is endemic in several countries around the world and humans can get infected with the virus through the tick bites or by coming into contact with tissues or blood of the infected animals.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology of the disease in Iraq from January 1, 2023, to June 18, 2023.MethodsThis is a retrospective study and epidemiological data of CCHF in Iraq within the first six month of 2023 were kindly provided from the Sulaymaniyah directory of the World Health Organization (WHO)/ Iraq.ResultsOverall, 229 CCHF cases and 36 deaths were recorded during the period of this study. The majority of the cases were aged between 15-45 years old, and the gender distribution ratio of males to females was 61% and 39%, respectively.ConclusionCCHF is an extremely severe disease that poses a threat to the public health. The hyper-endemic status of CCHF in Iraq is continuing and the number of cases has elevated in 2023 in comparison to 2022.