Man Dies After Contracting Lethal 'Bleeding Eyes' Disease From Tick Bite In Spain

Madrid: A 74-year-old man died in Spain’s capital Madrid after contracting a lethal 'bleeding eyes' disease called Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), a deadly viral disease with a fatality rate of up to 40%.

The man, whose identity has not been revealed, was admitted to Rey Juan Carlos University Hospital in Mostoles, Spain, after being bitten by a tick in Toledo, approximately 100 miles southwest of Madrid.

After being diagnosed with the rare Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus, he was moved to a high-dependency isolation unit at La Paz University Hospital in Madrid to prevent the spread of the disease. Although his condition was initially stable, it worsened as he began to show all the symptoms associated with CCHF.

Tragically, he succumbed to the virus on Saturday, becoming the first CCHF-related fatality in Spain since May 2020. Health authorities are expected to be on high alert to prevent additional cases and contain the spread of this dangerous virus.

What is Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever ?

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a viral haemorrhagic fever usually transmitted by ticks. It can also be contracted through contact with viraemic animal tissues (animal tissue where the virus has entered the bloodstream) during and immediately post-slaughter of animals. CCHF outbreaks constitute a threat to public health services as the virus can lead to epidemics, has a high case fatality ratio (10–40%), potentially results in hospital and health facility outbreaks, and is difficult to prevent and treat. CCHF is endemic in all of Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East and in Asia. 

The disease was first described in the Crimean Peninsula in 1944 and given the name Crimean haemorrhagic fever. In 1969 it was recognized that the pathogen causing Crimean haemorrhagic fever was the same as that responsible for an illness identified in 1956 in the Congo Basin. The linkage of the two place names resulted in the current name for the disease and the virus.

Man Loses Eyeball in China

Earlier, a man in China’s Guangdong had to remove his eyeball after he killed a fly that was sitting on his face for a while. The killing led to the spread of the infection in and around the eyeball region.

The man surnamed Wu after killing the fly, was in severe pain as his left eye became red, swollen, and painful.

Wu also sought medical attention as he was diagnosed with seasonal conjunctivitis, but his condition worsened and his vision deteriorated dramatically.

Doctors told Wu that symptoms were caused by an infection that medication could no longer halt, resulting in his eye and surrounding areas becoming severely ulcerated. The insect involved was a drain fly, which is typically found in dark, damp areas of homes, including bathrooms, bathtubs, sinks, and kitchens.