Clinical manifestations, laboratory findings and clinical outcome in 6 pregnant women with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is caused by Nairovirus, genus Bunyavirus in family of bunyaviridae, and is spread by the tick Hyalomma spp or via blood transfusion and contaminated blood of human and animal. During the recent years, disease has been reported from Iran, especially from Sistan and Baluchestan, Isfahan, Kermanshah and Kohkilouyeh-bouyerahmad provinces. Now, CCHF is endemic in Sistan and Baluchestan province. The resent study describes the clinical features of CCHF among pregnant women. We report our experience with six pregnant women with CCHF, who were admitted to Boo-Ali hospital during 2000 to 2005. All patients were treated by Ribavirin. We studied the clinical manifestations, laboratory findings and clinical outcome of disease in all cases. Our results showed that, fever, headache, myalgia and gingival bleeding were the most common clinical manifestations. Thrombocytopenia, anemia and decreased protrombin time were the commonest laboratory findings. Abortion was observed in 3 patients and stillbirth in one patient. In fact, 66.6% of pregnant women had fetal loss. It is found that fetal loss is high in CCHF parturients, however, it should be further studied in endemic areas.