Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever: Current and future prospects of vaccines and therapies

• Published in: Antiviral research 2011-05, Vol.90 (2), p.85-92
• Main Authors: Keshtkar-Jahromi, Maryam, Kuhn, Jens H., Christova, Iva, Bradfute, Steven B., Jahrling, Peter B., Bavari, Sina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Africa - epidemiology; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Antiviral agents; Antiviral therapy; Arboviral haemorrhagic fevers; Arboviroses; Asia - epidemiology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical Research - trends; Bunyaviridae; Bunyavirus; Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever; Europe - epidemiology; Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Crimean-Congo - immunology; Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean - epidemiology; Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean - immunology; Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean - prevention & control; Human viral diseases; Humans; Incidence; Infectious diseases; Ixodidae; Medical sciences; Middle East - epidemiology; Nairovirus; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Priority pathogen; Ribavirin; Tropical viral diseases; Viral diseases; Viral hemorrhagic fever; Viral Vaccines - immunology
• ISSN: 0166-3542; 1872-9096
• DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2011.02.010

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne disease caused by CCHF virus (CCHFV), a nairovirus in the family Bunyaviridae. CCHF occurs sporadically in a number of countries in Asia, the Middle East, southeastern Europe and Africa. Patients may develop subclinical to severe hemorrhagic disease, with fatal outcomes in a substantial percentage of cases. Transmission usually occurs through contact with viremic livestock or patients or bites by infected ticks. The number of reported cases has increased in recent years, possibly due to global climatic change and human perturbations of biocenoses that may have led to the migration of tick vectors. There is currently no FDA-approved vaccine or specific antiviral therapy for CCHF. The classification of CCHFV as a WHO Risk Group IV pathogen and the lack of suitable animal models has caused progress in developing new prophylactic and therapeutic measures to be slow. Ribavirin is active against CCHFV in vitro, but its efficacy for human therapy has not been definitively demonstrated by clinical studies. CCHF-immunoglobulin is also in use, but without clear evidence of efficacy. In this article, we review the development of prophylaxis and therapy for CCHF and discuss future prospects for vaccine and drug development.