First serological evidence of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever in febrile patients in Mozambique

- This is the first serological investigation of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever in Mozambique.
- Mozambicans are exposed to Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus.
- Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus may be more common than previously thought in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Data from this study call for an urgent need to conduct detailed surveillance, including of tick vectors and other domestic/wild animals.

ObjectiveDespite its geographical spread, the epidemiology of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in Sub-Saharan Africa is incompletely understood and its occurrence in Mozambique is unknown. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the occurrence of CCHF virus (CCHFV) among febrile patients attending an outpatient appointment clinic at three separate primary health care centres in Mozambique.MethodsSerum samples were collected from a total of 300 febrile patients aged >5 years who were recruited between March 2015 and March 2016 at three health centres in Mozambique. Each patient was screened for IgG antibodies against CCHFV using an ELISA.ResultsOf the 300 patients enrolled, eight had samples that were positive for anti-CCHFV IgG antibodies, yielding a prevalence rate of 2.7%.ConclusionsThis study shows for the first time that humans are exposed to CCHFV in Mozambique. It highlights the need for further work to investigate the broader extent of circulating CCHFV in the country and its clinical implications.