21/04/2023 / Health and Fitness
The article will provide complete details about viral hemorrhagic fever, its causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, etc.
Distinct families of single-stranded RNA viruses cause viral Haemorrhagic Fever.
These viruses are:
Arenaviridae
Filoviridae
Bunyaviridae
Flaviviridae
Viral hemorrhagic fevers in India are dengue, Kyasanur forest disease, and Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever.
Data have confirmed that 1,23,106 dengue cases were identified in India in the year 2021.
There needs to be more awareness of the VHF and ways to prevent them because no vaccination is available.
Viral Hemorrhagic fever is caused by distinct virus families. Humans are not the natural reservoir of these viruses.
The natural reservoir of these viruses includes animal and insect hosts.
Human-to-human transmission of Ebola, Marburg and Crimean-Hemorrhagic fever are due to direct contact with infected blood and body fluids.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some of these viruses causing Hemorrhagic Fever, like Ebola, Marburg, Lassa, and Junin, are category A bioweapon agents because of their high death rate and ease of person-to-person transmission.
Viral hemorrhagic fevers affect multiple organ systems of the body. The cardiovascular system is damaged, and the body cannot function properly in VHF. No cure or vaccine is available for most of the VHFs.
Some of the important facts about virus causing VHF are:
These are enveloped RNA viruses.
Physical and chemical methods like heat, gamma rays, detergents, solvents and bleach can destroy these.
They exist in animals and insects and are restricted to the area where the host lives.
The virus spreads to people who come in contact with the infected animal or insect.
VHF outbreaks are difficult to prevent.
The vascular bed is attacked, which causes microvascular damage and changes in vascular permeability. Direct damage to the target organs, inflammation and immune response are involved in the pathogenesis of viral hemorrhagic fever.
Macrophages release cytokines and chemokines. This alters vascular permeability, triggering DIC (disseminated intravascular coagulation).
This condition affects many organs.
The symptoms of viral hemorrhagic fever are:
Nausea
Vomiting
Fever
Muscle pain
Joint pain
Malaise/discomfort
Weakness
Headache
Body pain
Chest pain
Abdominal pain
Diarrhea
Dizziness
Photophobia/ sensitivity to light
Hyperesthesia (increased sensitivity to touch).
Flushing of the face and head
Periorbital edema
Retro-orbital pain
Redness in eyes
Rashes
Proteinuria
Petechiae (a small red spot which appear due to bleeding)
Bleeding in internal organs
Bleeding under the skin
Bleeding from eyes and ears
Bleeding from the mouth
Bleeding from gums
Low blood pressure
Shock
Nervous system malfunction like:
Delirium (confusion)
Seizures
Coma
Kidney failure
Liver failure
The viral hemorrhagic fever diagnosis is confirmed based on:
Symptoms
Travel history to the endemic area.
Laboratory investigations:
Leukopenia: Low number of WBC in brain
Thrombocytopenia: Low platelet count
DIC: Virus causing increased vascular permeability leads to bleeding.
Liver function test: Elevation of ALT (Alanine transaminase) /AST (Aspartate transaminase).
Coagulation studies
Urine culture for bacterial infection
Serological testing
Cell culture
The viral hemorrhagic fever treatment includes:
Fluid
Vasopressor
Specific antiviral therapy
Management of superadded bacterial infection
Replacement of clotting factor
For Lassa virus – Ribavirin, favipiravir and LASV-specific monoclonal antibodies.
For Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever – Antivirals are given. Those working with animals should use insect repellent. Contact should be strictly avoided with blood and other bodily fluids from infected animals/humans.
Ebola virus disease and Marburg hemorrhagic fever - Treatment involves supportive care.
In Dengue, treatment involves supportive care.
The complications of Viral hemorrhagic fever or VHF include:
Edema
Internal bleeding
Breathing complications
Shock
Multiorgan failure
Death
Here are a few important aspects to be considered to prevent VHFs:
Vaccination: Sanofi developed a live attenuated vaccine, “Dengvaxia” which was licensed in 2015. WHO recommends this only for adults with a history of prior dengue virus infection due to potential safety concerns and increased risk of hospitalisation.
India has joined the efforts of vaccine development to develop two dengue vaccine candidates, LAV, TetraVax-DV, licensed from the US NIH to Indian pharmaceutical companies and the other is protein-based tetravalent dengue subunit vaccine, DSV4.
The availability of vaccines is ensured in the near future.
Tips to prevent mosquito bites.
It is important to prevent mosquito bites. “Mosquitoes Bite – Keep them away”
Use insect repellent
Wear long sleeve shirts and pants
Use mosquito net
Dump standing water
Screen on door and windows
Tightly cover water storage containers
Fill tree holes with foam
Apply larvicides
Cut down weeds
Keep your lawn clean.
Tips for handling rodents
Avoid contact with rodents.
Dispose of food that is accessible to rodents.
Prevent entry of rodents into the house. Use traps.
Seal up holes and gaps to prevent the entry of rodents.
Avoid areas infested with rodents like droppings, etc
Isolation
Avoid contact with animals, and rodents.
Avoid tick bites
Avoid contact with rodent urine and feces
Avoid contact with infected blood
To prevent VHFs, one of the important considerations is to prevent mosquito bites. The article has mentioned ways to prevent mosquito bites.
If you are suffering from dengue, you should take papaya leaf extract along with the treatment to improve your health, and platelets count and reduce hospital stay.
Fruits are an important part of our diet and play an important role in boosting immunity.
VHFs are Viral Hemorrhagic fever caused by distinct group of viruses.
The five viral hemorrhagic fever are:
Chapare hemorrhagic fever
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever
Ebola (Ebola Virus Disease)
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS)
Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS)
Avoid mosquitoes and ticks to prevent VHFs.
The VHFs spread by mosquito bites, contact with infected animals, and contact with the blood and body fluids of the infected person.
Yes, dengue is a hemorrhagic fever.
The liver is affected by dengue.
Yes, some VHF viruses like Ebola, Marburg and Lassa spread from person to person through close contact with infected blood, contaminated objects, etc.
Families of RNA viruses like Arenaviridae, Bunyaviridae, Filoviridae, and Flaviviridae cause VHFs.
Yellow fever is caused by virus of the Flaviviridae family.
Yes, the yellow fever vaccine is available in India given in doses of 0.5 ml subcutaneously at a cost of Rs 300/ per dose.
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