Comparative study between Ribavirin and Ribavirin plus Intravenous Immunoglobulin against Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever

BACKGROUND Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) has high morbidity and mortality. Therefore the treatment effect of Ribavirin with and without intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) in viral Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever was evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS In a clinical trial study, 40 patients with confirmatory positive serology test, 12 (30%) received Ribavirin and IVIG (case group) and 28 (70%) received only ribavirin as standards therapy (control group). The patients were followed and compared by defervescence and other clinical symptoms, and laboratory results such as white blood cell count (WBC), platelets; liver function test (LFT) and duration of hospitalization and mortality rate after eight weeks. RESULTS The mean (SD) period for defervescence and stopping bleedings was five (0.6) days in case group and five (0.5) days in control group with no significant differences (P = 0.27). The mean period for return of WBC to normal was three (0.6) days in case group and five (0.8) days in control group (P = 0.002). The mean period for return of LFT to normal was three (0.9) days in case group and seven (0.5) days in control group which showed a meaningful difference (P = 0.001) Normalization of platelets was returned within four (0.8) days in case group compared to 6 (0.6) days in control group. Mortality was observed in three cases of each group. CONCLUSION Considering our results, using IVIG in viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) may need further evaluations.