Dr. Remi Charrel and his team at the Unité des Virus Emergents (UVE) in Aix-Marseille University, France, aimed to assess the risk of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) infection in Corsica. The study investigated the presence of CCHFV in ticks and its seroprevalence in humans and animals.
Supported by ISIDORe, the team collaborated with the University of Ljubljana to conduct virus neutralization assays on human and cattle sera. ELISA tests on over 2000 human sera and 150 domestic animal sera identified positive CCHFV IgG cases, which were confirmed by neutralization assays using live CCHFV.
The results revealed the presence of anti-CCHFV antibodies in a slaughterhouse worker and one cattle, indicating potential CCHFV circulation in Corsica. These findings highlight the need for further research, prevention programs, and livestock monitoring to prevent the virus from becoming endemic and spreading to Western Europe.
ISIDORe’s support was crucial in providing the necessary infrastructure and expertise to carry out this important research.