CCH Fever; Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever. Modern approaches to diagnosttics, surveillance, prevention, therapy and preparedness

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus causes "Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever syndrome". It is a zoonotic disease that affects humans through contact with infected animals or bet from ticks. The mortality is up to 50%, there is no vaccine or effective antiviral treatment available. WHO and the EC have prioritized this disease as a serious threat. In the latest EC Public Health Programme the disease was prioritized. The virus is classified as a P4-agent, which means that the laboratory work can only be performed in a high risc laboratory (P4 laboratory) by specially trained personnel.

The presence of CCHFV in Europe (the Balkans) and the relative ease of access makes CCHFV is a possible weapon for bioterrorism. A project initiated by FoHM (SMI), has obtained an EU research grant of 30 m SKr coordinated by FoHM / SMI. This interdisciplinary project has collaboration with 14 other European and international countries (such as the CDC Atlanta and several infectious disease control authorities and reference laboratories in Southern and Eastern Europe).

The project represents an operational system for effective monitoring of CCHFV infections in Europe, building and maintaining a Biobank and database of all clinical cases. Training for clinical and laboratory staff and people with emergency preparedness function will be performed.