Hemorrhagic Fever Outbreaks in Iraq: A Geomedicin Study

Abstract

   Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, also known as hemorrhagic fever in Iraq, is a serious infectious disease common to humans and animals, with a mortality rate of approximately 40%. It is caused by a virus transmitted to humans by ticks that parasitize infected animals. The virus may be transmitted through direct contact with infected animals or from infected individuals to others.

The current study showed that hemorrhagic fever in Iraq has been endemic for more than four decades and has begun to spread in recent years due to a number of factors related to the epidemiology of hemorrhagic fever, the pathogens of which are often linked to environmental conditions. These factors include climate fluctuations and the increased spread of the disease-carrying insect due to the cessation of pesticide spraying, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying lockdown measures. These factors also include the absence of health oversight and the widespread indiscriminate slaughtering outside licensed slaughterhouses. It was found that hemorrhagic fever outbreaks were concentrated in southern Iraq, with Dhi Qar Governorate topping the list in terms of the number of recorded cases and resulting deaths.