The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Level 1 travel notice (practice usual precautions) in response to an outbreak of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) in most provinces of Afghanistan.
CCHF virus is spread by contact with infected ticks or animal (e.g., livestock) blood. CCHF virus can be spread from human to human through contact with infectious blood or bodily fluids.
Initial symptoms of CCHF include headache, high fever, back pain, joint pain, stomach pain, and vomiting. As the illness progresses, large areas of severe bruising, severe nosebleeds, and bleeding at injection sites can be seen.
In documented outbreaks of CCHF, fatality rates in hospitalized patients have ranged from 9% to as high as 50%.
- You can protect yourself by using Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellants on exposed skin and clothing and wearing gloves when in contact with livestock.
- Avoid contact with ticks, the body fluids of infected livestock, or humans who show signs of infection.
- If you feel sick during travel, seek medical care immediately.
- If you feel sick after returning from travel, seek medical care immediately and tell your healthcare professional about recent travel, including where you went and what you did.