Viral hemorrhagic fever or VHFs
Viral hemorrhagic fever or VHFs
Viral hemorrhagic fevers are diseases caused by several types of viruses. Some of these viruses cause minor illness, while others cause life-threatening diseases with no known cure. Ebola is one of the most common hemorrhagic viruses, according to The Johns Hopkins University.
These diseases are caused by viruses from 4 groups: arenaviruses, filoviruses, bunyaviruses, and flaviviruses. These viruses infect insects or rodents. A person can become infected from exposure to the body, bodily fluids, or droppings of infected rodents, or through an insect bite, usually from a mosquito or tick. Some viruses also spread from person to person. It can also be spread if you crush an infected tick.
According to MayoClinic.com, viral hemorrhagic fevers are infectious diseases. The American Foundation also states that contact with infected insects or animals can spread the viral hemorrhagic fever. The most prevalent hosts for the viruses that cause viral hemorrhagic fevers are mosquitoes, ticks, rodents, and bats. These viruses can also live in other animals and insects.
Symptoms vary depending on the specific disease. Each person may have different symptoms. Various organs in the body can be affected. Symptoms often include fever, fatigue, dizziness, muscle aches, loss of strength, and fatigue. Those with severe cases often show signs of bleeding. This may be under the skin, in internal organs, or from body openings such as the mouth, eyes, or ears. But blood loss is rarely the cause of death. These people may also have shock, seizures, nervous system failure, coma, delirium, and kidney failure. In general, there is no known cure for these diseases. Patients may receive supportive treatment. This may include getting fluids, help with breathing, and pain relievers. Antiviral medication may help some people with Lassa fever. There are no vaccines available to prevent these diseases, except yellow fever and Argentine hemorrhagic fever. Thus, the focus is on staying away from rodents or insects that carry the virus. (HTH)
