Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: The National Institute of Health (NIH) has issued an advisory on the prevention and control of Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) and Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), Naegleriasis.
According to NIH, the institute’s Field Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Division (FEDSD) issued advisories with the purpose to sensitise human and animal healthcare authorities to further strengthen and improve the level of preparedness in the prevention and control of CCHF and Naegleriasis.
In the wake of high disease transmission and risk due to anticipated increased human-animal interaction during the upcoming Eid ul Adha, it is imperative to be vigilant about the situation and take necessary steps to interrupt the transmission of CCHF.
CCHF is a widespread disease caused by a tick-borne virus (nairovirus) of the Bunyaviridae family.
Numerous wild and domestic animals, such as cattle, goats, sheep and hares are carriers of this virus. The CCHF virus is transmitted to people either by tick bites or through contact with infected animal blood or tissues during and immediately after slaughter. Transmission to humans occurs through contact with infected ticks or animal blood.
CCHF can be transmitted from an infected person to another person by contact with infectious blood, secretions, or body fluids.
According to the advisory, this year, Balochistan has reported 81 and KP reported three suspected cases, out of which 27 were positive from Balochistan, including five deaths up to June 2023. There is currently no vaccine available for humans and the only way to reduce infection is by raising awareness.
As per the advisory, the public health advice should focus on several aspects, including wearing protective clothing (long sleeves, long trousers), wearing light-coloured clothing to allow easy detection of ticks on the clothes and using approved insect repellent on the skin.
Insect repellents are the most effective in warding off ticks in human populations besides avoiding visiting areas where ticks are abundant and seasons when they are most active.
Naegleria fowleri is an amoeba, (also known as brain-eating amoeba) is a single-celled, thermophilic, free-living pathogen found widely in freshwater environments like warm bodies of fresh water, such as lakes, rivers, hot springs and even in the soil.
Despite lower incidence, the PAM disease is also widely distributed in tropical areas and mostly occurs during hot summer months.
Most cases of PAM arise from freshwater sources like lakes and pools, but an increasing number are now linked to drinking water systems.
Deaths related to PAM have been regularly reported from Karachi and some other parts of the country since 2008. With three recently reported cases in 2023, the total count of cases has climbed up to 150 in the country during the last 14 years.
The NIH recommended that during recreational activities like swimming, avoid diving and getting water up in the nose, try to avoid water-related activities when the water is not chlorinated, empty and clean small collapsible bathing pools daily, ensure swimming pools and spas are adequately chlorinated and well maintained, avoid jumping or diving into bodies of warm freshwater, avoid putting head under water in hot springs and other untreated geothermal waters and if using un-chlorinated water, don’t allow water to go up in nose when bathing, showering or washing the face.
