NIH alerts public to threat of typhoid, CCHF

Islamabad: The rising number of Typhoid fever cases in Pakistan during monsoon, coupled with the threat of Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), has prompted the Field Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Division of the National Institute of Health (NIH) to issue advisories that seek to sensitize human and animal healthcare authorities to further strengthen and improve the level of preparedness in prevention and control of CCHF and Typhoid.

CCHF is a widespread disease caused by a tick-borne virus (Nairovirus) of the Bunyaviridae family with a case fatality rate of 10-40%. Ticks, especially of the Hyalommagenus, are both reservoir and vector for the CCHF virus. Numerous wild and domestic animals such as cattle, buffaloes, goats, and sheep are silent carriers of this virus and the adult ticks feed on these animals.

Areas where domestication of animals is very high can be affected by this disease. During last year, Pakistan reported 51 positive cases of CCHF. Since the beginning of this year, 59 suspected cases have been submitted for testing, of which 8 have been found positive for CCHF with 3 deaths.

Healthcare workers along with animal herders, veterinarians, para-veterinary staff, livestock workers, animal merchants, butchers and slaughterhouse workers are at risk of CCHF. Close contacts caring for the suspected case and persons involved in burial practices are also at risk of getting the infection.There is currently no vaccine available for humans and the only way to reduce infection is by raising awareness.

Public health advice against CCHF should focus on the following aspects:use of protective clothing (long sleeves, long trousers);use of light-coloured clothing during visit to animal markets to allow easy detection of ticks on clothes; regular examination of clothing and skin for ticks; use of approved a caricides/repellents on clothing and skin; use of gloves and other protective clothing while handling animals or their tissues, notably during slaughtering, butchering and culling procedures in slaughterhouses or at home; avoidance of close physical contact with CCHF-infected people; and adherence to safe burial practices.

The advisory on Typhoid, which mostly spreads during summer and monsoon, alerts the public against the risk of contamination caused by poor sanitation and mixing of sewerage in drinking water.

Typhoid is caused by bacteria (Salmonella Typhi) which occurs through feco-oral route and spreads through contaminated food, milk, frozen fruits and water or through close contact with already infected person.