Analysis of Crimean Hemorrhagic Fever Morbidity Rates in the Russian Federation in 2009– 2018 and Forecast for 2019

The review presents the analysis of epidemic and epizootic situation on Crimean hemorrhagic fever (CHF)
in the Russian Federation in 2009–2018. Over the past decade, 980 CHF cases have been registered in Russia (2,8 %
lethal). In 2009–2018, there was a significant expansion of the epidemiologically active area of the natural CHF focus.
Epizootiological monitoring of the territory of natural CHF focus showed that in 2009–2018 the number of imago and
preimaginal phases of Hyalomma marginatum – the main vector of the CCHF virus in Russia, remained consistently high.
The average long-term rate of Ixodidae ticks infestation by the CCHF virus in 2013–2017 was 3,3 %. In 2009–2018 in the south of the European part of Russia CCHF virus variants belonging to the genetic lines Europe-1 (V), Europe-3 (VII) and Africa-3 (III) were detected. There were no significant changes in the ratio of circulating genetic variants of the virus in the regions of the Russian Federation, which confirms the relative stability of the CCHF virus population. In 2018, CHF morbidity rate in the Russian Federation retained downward trend, however, in some regions of South Federal District the number of CHF cases increased. One of the reasons for CHF morbidity rate decrement in the Russian Federation in 2018 was the well-timed acaricidal treatments of cattle and natural biotopes in most of CHF endemic regions. 

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