Original Article Epidemiologic Features and Risk Factors of Crimean–Congo Hemorrhagic Fever in Samsun Province, Turkey

Background: Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne infectious disease that has a considerable mortality risk and is a challenge for the population of endemic rural areas and health care workers. This study investigated the epidemiologic features and main risk factors of CCHF in Samsun Province, Turkey, using CCHF cases diagnosed from 2007 to 2011 recorded by the Samsun Provincial Health Directorate. Methods: In the study area, 126 cases were evaluated statistically and spatially. Minitab 16 software was used for statistical analysis of the data, and ArcGIS 9.3 software was used for spatial analysis. Results: Among those who received a diagnosis of CCHF, 69 (54.7%) were male, 57 (45.3%) were female, 114 (90.5%) were discharged, and 12 (9.5%) died. A total of 112 of the 126 (88.9%) cases occurred at an altitude higher than 600m. In addition, 84.1 % of cases were reported during May through July, which are the busiest months for those working in the agriculture and animal husbandry sectors. Conclusions: CCHF causes severe disease and has a high mortality rate (about 10 % in Turkey). Early diagnosis of CCHF can be improved by periodic education of people at high risk, ie, men and women working in agriculture and animal husbandry in rural areas and those working in health care. Key words: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever; epidemiology; geographical information systems; Turke