Title: Community-based Investigation of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever outbreak in a factory of a district located in Gujarat, India

Biography:

Shobha Misra, is serving as Professor & Head, Community Medicine, at PDU Govt.Medical College Rajkot, India. Bagged Best Paper awards, IAPSM Bouquets of Honors, PEARL award for excellence in medical education and FAIMER-fellowship from Philadelphia. Completed courses in Biostatistics, Clinical Investigation, Gender and Health, Human Resource Management, Naturopathy and Yoga, Hospital Administration and Advanced courses in Medical Education. Guided couple of theses, has over 34 publications, 20 presentations in International, National & State Conferences, led 10 research projects and a state level trainer. Co-Ordinator of Medical Education Unit and Curriculum Committee. And has been serving as an editorial board member of repute.

Abstract

In the recent past, India has seen outbreaks of eight organisms of emerging and re-emerging diseases in various parts of the country, six of these are of zoonotic origin and five of viral origin. A Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) outbreak was reported in Gujarat, a state located in western India, in 2011. Thereafter, few cases were reported from the same state in August 2019.  We report a community-based investigation of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever outbreak in a factory of a district located in Gujarat.  Methodology: A Rapid Response Team conducted a community-based investigation of an outbreak following a suspected CCHF death in a factory in August 2019 to identify epidemiological determinants, mode of transmission and suggest remedial measures for early action. They undertook: interviews of workers, supervisor and possible contacts of dead person; inspected working place and surrounding environment for vectors and their breeding places. Results: Out of the 38 workers (22 males and 16 females) 18 (47.34%) were having one or more symptoms viz: respiratory infection (88.9%), followed by fever (44.4%) and headache (33.3%) indicating acute viral infection. Out of the 49 workers investigated, 34 were found to having thrombocytopenia. An open drainage tank near the quarters of workers was the suspected breeding place of Culex mosquitos. Two buffaloes in a farm adjacent to factory were having ticks on breast whose samples were collected. A comprehensive strategy comprising of; daily surveillance of factory workers, stopping migration, contact tracing, intensified tick control measures and health awareness program controlled the outbreak.