Ticks as vectors of Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever virus in Tanzania
Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic fever is a zoonotic disease caused by a tick-borne orthonairovirus that can cause severe haemorrhagic fever in humans. The virus is known to circulate in livestock and people in Tanzania, but very little is known about the impact, epidemiology or ecology of the disease in Africa. This study will involve PCR analysis of nucleic acid extracted from ticks collected from livestock (cattle, sheep and goats) in Tanzania as part of cross-sectional studies of zoonotic pathogens in communities where people live in very close proximity to animals. Data will be analysed to investigate CCHFV infection prevalence in different tick species, and how this varies with livestock and human infection prevalence in different agro-ecological settings.