Evaluation of cases with a preliminary diagnosis of Crimean- Congo hemorrhagic fever and comparison of characteristics in patients admitted to a secondary care hospital in Kastamonu, Turkey.

Background: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is an endemic disease in Turkey. The clinical presentation and laboratory findings are not specific especially in cases without hemorrhagic findings.Objective: We aimed to evaluate CCHF cases and compare them with non-CCHF cases in terms of their characteristics during admission.Methods: Cases with a preliminary diagnosis of CCHF at a secondary care hospital in Kastamonu in 2013 were evaluated, retrospectively. Cases testing RNA/IgM positive were considered as CCHF. Cases testing both RNA and IgM negative were considered as non-CCHF. The two groups were then compared in terms of their clinical, laboratory and epidemiological characteristics during admission.Results: A total of 41 cases were tested and CCHF was found in 46.3% of cases. Fatality was 5.3% in CCHF cases. The frequency of tick bites and CK elevation in CCHF cases was significantly higher than non-CCHF cases (p<0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding other characteristics (p>0.05).Conclusions: In cases with a preliminary diagnosis of CCHF, especially in cases without a history of tick bite and with normal CK levels during admission, performing tests for the differential diagnosis may be advisable without waiting for the results of tests for CCHF.Keywords: Crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever, Kastamonu, Turke