# Longitudinal seroprevalence of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus in Southern Uganda

## TL;DR

This study finds that Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus is widespread in Southern Uganda, with high antibody levels in fishing communities.

## Contribution

The study reveals CCHFV seroprevalence in Southern Ugandan communities outside the cattle corridor.

## Key findings

- CCHFV seroprevalence was detected in agrarian, trading, and fishing communities in Southern Uganda.
- Fishing communities showed the highest CCHFV seroprevalence.
- CCHFV-specific antibodies were consistently present for up to a decade.

## Abstract

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne disease endemic to many regions of Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and the Balkans. Caused by the CCHF virus (CCHFV), CCHF has been a recognized cause of illness in Uganda since the 1950s and recently, more intensive surveillance suggests CCHFV is widely endemic within the country. Most surveillance has been focused on the Ugandan cattle corridor due to the risk of CCHFV exposure associated with livestock practices. Here we evaluated the seroprevalence of CCHFV in several Southern Ugandan communities outside the cattle corridor combined with longitudinal sample sets to measure the immune response to CCHFV for up to a decade. Interestingly, across three community types, agrarian, trading and fishing, we detected CCHFV seroprevalence in all three but found the highest seroprevalence in fishing communities. We also measured consistent CCHFV-specific antibody responses for up to a decade. Our findings support the conclusion that CCHFV is widely endemic in Uganda and highlight that additional communities may be at risk for CCHFV exposure.