Crimean–Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus Infections in Slaughtered Camels and Abattoir Workers in the United Arab Emirates

Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne disease caused by the CCHF virus (CCHFV) and is characterized by the sudden onset of high fever and hemorrhagic manifestations. This study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of anti-CCHFV antibodies in dromedary camels and workers at the Al Bawadi abattoir in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In addition, the camels and human subjects were screened for CCHFV RNA, and the knowledge level of abattoir workers regarding CCHF zoonosis was assessed. A cross-sectional study was conducted between March 2022 and June 2023 at the Al-Bawadi abattoir in Al Ain with 393 camels and 86 abattoir workers. Anti-CCHFV immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody was tested in camel sera using a multispecies indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The sera of abattoir workers were tested for anti-CCHFV IgG antibody using a human CCHFV ELISA kit. Camel and human serum samples were tested by reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) to detect CCHFV RNA. A questionnaire survey was used to evaluate abattoir workers’ knowledge of the risk of zoonosis of CCHF. The seroprevalence of anti-CCHFV antibodies in camels slaughtered at the Al-Bawadi Abattoir was 65.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 60.4%–70%). However, the RNA prevalence was only 1% (4/393), with cycle threshold (Ct) values ranging from 34.58 to 38.21. The seroprevalence of anti-CCHFV antibodies in abattoir workers was 29.1% (95% CI: 20.3%–40.4%), but none of the abattoir workers tested positive by RT-qPCR. Seropositive abattoir workers had a longer duration of working in the abattoir (median = 10 years; interquartile range [IQR]: 6.0–14.0) than seronegative abattoir workers (median = 7.5 years; IQR: 5.0–14.0) although the difference was not significant (p > 0.05). Most abattoir workers (73%) knew that CCHF is zoonotic. The seroprevalence of anti-CCHFV antibodies was high in both camels and abattoir workers at the Al-Bawadi Abattoir, and viral RNA was detected in four camels. Hence, active surveillance and reinforcement of control measures are recommended.