Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Pathogens and Global Health, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a severe tick-borne infection with high mortality, where macrophage activation and systemic inflammation drive pathogenesis. Prognostic biomarkers are crucial for early risk stratification. In this prospective study (April–July 2025), 60 confirmed CCHF patients (30 severe, 30 mild–moderate) and 50 healthy controls were enrolled. Soluble CD163 (sCD163) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured by ELISA, while platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and systemic immune–inflammation index (SII) were derived from blood counts. Severe cases showed lower platelet counts, PLR, and SII, but higher AST, ALT, LDH, GGT, CK, direct bilirubin, fibrinogen, sCD163, and IL-6 than mild–moderate patients (all p < 0.05). Compared with controls, CCHF patients had elevated sCD163 and IL-6 (p < 0.001). sCD163 correlated negatively with platelet count (r=–0.453, p = 0.001) and positively with AST, ALT, and IL-6 (r = 0.953, p < 0.001), linking macrophage activation to systemic inflammation. ROC analysis showed sCD163 (AUC = 0.853) and IL-6 (AUC = 0.852) as accurate predictors of severe CCHF, with an sCD163 cutoff of 2.7 ng/mL yielding 96% sensitivity and 77% specificity. PLR and SII also distinguished severity but with lower accuracy. These findings highlight sCD163 and IL-6 as strong early prognostic biomarkers that may improve clinical assessment and guide timely therapeutic interventions in CCHF.