Autochthonous Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever in Spain

Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a widely distributed, viral, tickborne disease. In Europe, cases have been reported only in the southeastern part of the continent. We report two autochthonous cases in Spain. The index patient acquired the disease through a tick bite in the province of Avila — 300 km away from the province of Caceres, where viral RNA from ticks was amplified in 2010. The second patient was a nurse who became infected while caring for the index patient. Both were infected with the African 3 lineage of this virus. (Funded by Red de Investigacion Cooperativa en Enfermedades Tropicales [RICET] and Efficient Response to Highly Dangerous and Emerging Pathogens at EU [European Union] Level [EMERGE].)