Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus localization and shedding in the reproductive tract of lethal and survivor mouse models.

Hemorrhagic fever viruses have been shown to localize to immune-privileged sites, including the reproductive tract, raising important questions about long-term persistence and the potential for sexual transmission. Anecdotal evidence of sexual transmission of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) has been reported, and in vivo studies suggest that CCHFV can localize to reproductive tissues; however, to date, this phenomenon has not been explicitly investigated. We evaluated histopathology and viral loads (viral RNA, viral antigen, and infectious viral titres) in reproductive tissues...