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Living with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever

A tick-borne viral illness that starts with fever and headache and can cause bleeding in severe cases.

Understanding Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne disease caused by the CCHF virus that can spread from animals to people.

It begins with fever, headache, and a general unwell feeling (malaise), followed by stomach and bowel symptoms. In severe cases it can cause bleeding, shock, and problems in multiple organs. It can occur at any time in life.

Signs & symptoms

Symptoms vary from person to person. GARD lists these among the most common:

  • Fever and headache
  • Muscle aches
  • Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
  • Stomach pain
  • Low platelet count
  • Nosebleeds

Not everyone has every symptom. GARD's list comes from the Human Phenotype Ontology.

Diagnosis

  1. Talk with your doctor

    Share the symptoms you've noticed, when they started and your family health history. Notes and photos can help.

  2. See a specialist

    Your doctor may refer you to a specialist who knows rare conditions.

  3. Ask which tests can help

    Your care team will decide which exams and tests can confirm the diagnosis.

Care & treatment

Care team
A doctor familiar with rare conditions, plus specialists as needed
Expert care
Ask about multidisciplinary care centers for rare conditions
Treatment
GARD doesn't list specific treatments for this condition. Your care team will tailor care to your symptoms.
Research
Clinical trials and observational studies may be options. See the research section below.

General information, not medical advice. Your care team makes the decisions.

Everyday life

Living with a rare condition is easier with support.

  • Connect with rare disease patient organizations for support
  • Keep notes on symptoms, changes and questions for appointments
  • Ask about patient registries that help research
  • Look into financial aid and travel resources for care visits
Bring these questions to your next doctor visit
How is CCHF diagnosed and treated?
How can I lower my risk of tick bites?
What symptoms mean I should seek care right away?

Quick facts

Symptoms usually startany time in life

It is caused by the CCHF virus, which is spread by ticks and can pass from animals to people.

Infectious

Also known as: cchf; cchf - crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever; central asian hemorrhagic fever; chf - crimean hemorrhagic fever; chf congo virus; congo fever

Patient organizations

Rare-disease groups that can help

Source: NIH GARD · Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic feverGARD ID 19690 · GARD page updated September 2026 · Plain-language summary by Know Rare; editorial review pending. General information, not medical advice.

You are more than your diagnosis

Perspectives from people navigating life with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever.

Explore the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever blog

Explore research for Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever

Explore actively recruiting Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever studies with HealthSpark.

HealthSpark

Find actively recruiting studies for Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever with HealthSpark. Share your city to explore research near you.

  • Recruiting studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
  • Share your city to look for research near you
  • Eligibility is confirmed by the study team

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Powered by HealthSpark, our AI chat helper · Study information from ClinicalTrials.gov · Eligibility is confirmed by the study team.

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