Increased Retinal Vessel Tortuosity Associated With Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever in Children.

Background: To evaluate the ocular symptoms and findings of children diagnosed with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF).

Methods: In this prospective study, children diagnosed with CCHF who underwent a complete ophthalmologic examination during the hospitalization period were included.

Results: Twenty-four children with a mean age of 12.4 ± 3.6 years were included study. The most common ocular finding was conjunctival hyperemia and was observed in 50% of patients. Nine (37.4%) children had abnormalities in fundus examination. Two (8.3%) of them had dilated retinal veins, and 7 (29.1%) had tortuous retinal vessels. No significant difference was found between mild to moderate and severe disease groups in terms of ocular symptoms and ophthalmologic examination findings (P > 0.05, for all).

Conclusions: The increased retinal vessel tortuosity was detected as a fundus examination finding in children with CCHF. Both ophthalmologists and pediatricians should be aware of the various ocular manifestations of CCHF for rapid diagnosis and management.