Crimean-congo Haemorrhagic Fever and Rift

SIK,-A case of haemorrhagic fever caused by Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus' in May, 1983, in a parient who lived in Selibaby, south-eastern Mauritania, prompted an epidemiological survey in this area in March, 1984. The area around Selibaby is undifferentiated dry savannah. It is an important cattle-raising area, especially during the dry season when herds migrate from the north ofMauritania. During 1982 and 1983, the migration was intensified by the drought. The patient owned a large herd ofcamels about 20 km from Selibaby and was staying with the herd when he fell ill. We collected ticks from camels, cattle, sheep, goats, and horses, blood samples from cattle, rodents, and humans, and organ pools from rodents and cattle, in and around the Selibaby area, including thc Bake1 region of Senegal which lies along the border. CCHF virus isolation from ticks is summarised in the table. CCHF virus strains were identified by complement-fisation test with mouse immune ascitic fluid to the reference Ib Ar 10200 strain of virus. One of the strains isolated, ArD 38554, was compared by neutralisation test with the reference strain to provide definitive identification of the virus. Identical homologous and heterologous VALLEY FEVER IN SOUTH-EASTERN MAURITANIA