Blood Products Consumption Among Patients with Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever in Sistan and Baluchestan Province

The Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a hemorrhagic viral infection with a high mortality rate. Due to the lack of specific treatment, the disease is managed by medical supports and antiviral drugs. In the present study, we assessed the consumption of blood products during the last outbreak of CCHF in 2017 in Sistan and Baluchestan Province. 

In this cross-sectional study, during the CCHF outbreak in 2016, all hospitalized patients with CCHF in the province, their disease status and used blood products were recorded. In addition, the probable causes of CCHF infection and response to treatment were recorded. The disease was diagnosed and confirmed in the patients by serological studies and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The statistical analysis was done by SPSS 16 and descriptive levels. 

During the study period, 18 patients with a definitive diagnosis of  Crimean-Congo Fever and mean age of 27.5 6 + 6.9 were hospitalized. All patients were male and most were slaughterhouse workers (44.5%). The main cause of CCHF contamination was contact with contaminated meat and infected livestock. Of the 18 patients, 11 (61%) required blood transfusions, and platelet concentrate was the most commonly used (83.2%) blood product among the patients. A total of 191 blood products units were consumed and none of the patients died from CCHF.

Conclusions: 

CCHF is a hemorrhagic disease that required high rate of blood products transfusion, mostly platelet.