Evaluation of cases with a preliminary diagnosis of Crimean- Congo hemorrhagic fever and comparison of characteristics in patients admitted to a secondary care hospital in Kastamonu, Turkey.

BACKGROUND Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is an endemic disease in Turkey. The clinical presentation and laboratory findings are not specific especially in cases without hemorrhagic findings. OBJECTIVE We aimed to evaluate CCHF cases and compare them with non-CCHF cases in terms of their characteristics during admission. METHODS Cases with a preliminary diagnosis of CCHF at a secondary care hospital in Kastamonu in 2013 were evaluated, retrospectively. Cases testing RNA/IgM positive were considered as CCHF. Cases testing both RNA and IgM negative were considered as non-CCHF. The two groups were then compared in terms of their clinical, laboratory and epidemiological characteristics during admission. RESULTS A total of 41 cases were tested and CCHF was found in 46.3% of cases. Fatality was 5.3% in CCHF cases. The frequency of tick bites and CK elevation in CCHF cases was significantly higher than non-CCHF cases (p<0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding other characteristics (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS In cases with a preliminary diagnosis of CCHF, especially in cases without a history of tick bite and with normal CK levels during admission, performing tests for the differential diagnosis may be advisable without waiting for the results of tests for CCHF.