First Whole Genome Sequencing of Crimean–Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV) in Tick Species within Ghana
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Date
2023
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Transboundary and Emerging Diseases
Abstract
Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a serious viral zoonotic disease spread by ticks and caused by the Crimean–Congo
hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV). The emergence and reemergence of CCHF in various nations in the Eastern Mediterranean
Region over the last decade have shown a growing risk of the disease spreading to new areas, especially in population-dense and
livestock trade-dominant areas. There is a lack of updated information on the risk of CCHFV in the Greater Accra and Upper East
Regions of Ghana. Due to the paucity of available data, this study sought to identify the tick species diversity in Ghana and to
ascertain the CCHFV strains they may carry. A total of 705 ticks were collected from 188 cattle and 11 horses and morphologically
identified. Three tick genera (Hyalomma, Amblyomma, and Rhipicephalus) were observed, with the predominant species being
Hyalomma rufipes (n = 290, 41.1%). The CCHFV infection rates of 0.78%, 0.69%, and 0.64% were recorded in Hyalomma truncatum,
H. rufipes, and Amblyomma variegatum, respectively. No infection was detected in the Rhipicephalus species. Furthermore, a strain
was successfully recovered using next-generation sequencing. The strain belongs to genotype 3 and shared 98.9% nucleotide identity
with DQ211641_Mauritania_1984 and MF287636_Spain_2016. Findings from this study suggest the possible importation of the
virus into the country through trade, and potentially, a public health threat to humans who may have primary contact with livestock
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), Eastern Mediterranean Region, Ghana