In Uganda, deadly viruses lurk

Woman died in Crimean Congo fever: Deadly viruses lurk in the African Uganda

01/09/2013

Ebola, Marburg fever, or other exotic viral diseases - very often Uganda is affected when an epidemic breaks out in Africa. For the first time now, a human died of Crimean Congo fever.

Death by Crimean Congo fever
Again and again it hits Uganda, when severe epidemics break out in Africa. Headlines about an outbreak of Ebola, the appearance of the Marburg virus or the mysterious Kopfnick disease, which affects children in particular, seem to have no end in the East African country. Now Crimean Congo Fever (CCHF) has to be counted, a disease that has not existed in such a severe form in this region so far. A 27-year-old woman has already died from it, three deaths are currently being investigated, another patient is in quarantine and about 50 others who had contact with the infected person would be monitored.

So far only mild form in Africa
„Never has anyone ever died of CCHF in Uganda, "said Issa Makumbi, an epidemiology expert at the Ministry of Health. „This proves that it is the severe form of the disease that can lead to death. "So far, Africa has only had the mild form of the tick-borne disease, so far it has been mainly in Central Asia, in South-Eastern Europe - especially in Turkey - and in the Middle East to the life-threatening form.

Transmitter proven in Germany
The mortality rate of those infected reaches around 18 percent in some countries, such as Bulgaria. In this country, no one has yet been infected with the potentially fatal tropical disease, but researchers have been able to both in Holland and in Germany „its transmitter, the ticks Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus, the brown dog tick“, prove, so the German society for internal medicine e. V. In the case of illness, flu-like symptoms such as chills, headache and body aches and facial flushing may occur. Often it comes to internal bleeding and organ failure with fatal consequences.

Ticks as transmitters
According to scientists, the problem is the ever increasing number of ticks that feed primarily on the blood of cows, sheep and goats. „That worries us a great deal, "says Makumbi. „Ticks have previously been fought on domestic and farm animals at the local level, but now it is up to every farmer himself to act against ticks. "If the problem is not tackled at the national level, „There is a risk that the disease will spread into an epidemic. "People could be infected with the highly contagious Crimean Congo fever not only by tick bites, but also by the consumption of infected animal meat.The transmission from human to human via infected saliva or contact with blood or urine Vice Minister of Health Elioda Tumwesigye warned a few days ago: „In the severe form, up to 40 percent of all infected people die.“

Ebola always returns
In addition to the current danger of Crimean Congo fever, there is a seemingly permanent risk of Ebola outbreaks in the East African country. Outbreaks of Ebola fever have already raged in Uganda, with more than 200 deaths in the wake of the worst infection so far. The virus causes in humans so-called hemorrhagic fever (fever disease with bleeding), which results in 50 to 90 percent of cases, a painful death of patients. Last year, 16 people died of Ebola in the northwestern district of Kibaale. Almost at the same time, five deaths due to Marburg fever were reported from another region. Both diseases are caused by viruses and are similar in their course.

Ebola curable in the future?
In the year before, two independent research teams reported in the journal for the first time „Nature“, that Ebola is curable in the future. In a recent study, researchers led by James Cunningham of Harvard Medical School, Boston, explained that elimination of a specific protein (NPC1) can help protect against Ebola. The scientists blocked the protein with the help of a newly developed drug, whereupon the cells were reliably protected from infection with the Ebola virus. In one in the journal „Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences“ (PNAS), US scientists also showed that rhesus monkeys, who were injected with Ebola antibodies shortly after ebolavirus exposure, did not develop Ebola at all or only very slightly. All previous treatment approaches are currently still in the research phase and have to prove their worth.

Eating primate meat is at fault?
For the accumulation of these deadly infectious diseases Makumbi has an explanation: „Uganda is located near the Congo Basin, a hotspot for these diseases.“ Especially monkeys from the region are apparently carriers of the Ebola virus. Congolese refugees have now introduced the tradition of eating primate meat in Uganda. „By consuming these animals, the virus is transmitted and a disease can spread. "The Ebola virus first appeared in Zaire, today's Democratic Republic of Congo, in 1976. Around the same time, an outbreak occurred in Sudan. The CCHF virus was also first isolated from human blood in central Africa in 1956. The authorities in Uganda hope that the good early warning systems and the monitoring of possible virus carriers will further spread the virus´to prevent. (Ad)

Image: Cornelia Menichelli