Viral hemorrhagic fever
Viral Hemorrhagic Fever
Viral hemorrhagic fever (pronunciation: vahy-ruhl hem-uh-raj-ik fee-ver) refers to a group of illnesses that are caused by several distinct families of viruses. In general, the term "viral hemorrhagic fever" is used to describe a severe multisystem syndrome (multisystem in that multiple organ systems in the body are affected).
Etymology
The term "viral hemorrhagic fever" is derived from the characteristic symptoms these viruses cause. The word "viral" is derived from "virus", which is from the Latin virus meaning toxin or poison. "Hemorrhagic" is from the Greek haima meaning blood and rhage meaning breaking, and "fever" is from the Latin febris, meaning fever.
Symptoms
Characteristically, the overall vascular system is damaged, and the body's ability to regulate itself is impaired. These symptoms are often accompanied by hemorrhage (bleeding); however, the bleeding is itself rarely life-threatening. While some types of hemorrhagic fever viruses can cause relatively mild illnesses, many of these viruses cause severe, life-threatening disease.
Causes
Viral hemorrhagic fevers are caused by viruses from four families: Arenaviridae, Filoviridae, Bunyaviridae, and Flaviviridae. Each of these families share a number of features:
- They are all RNA viruses, and all are covered, or enveloped, in a fatty (lipid) coating.
- Their survival is dependent on an animal or insect host, called the natural reservoir.
- Except for the arenaviruses, the natural reservoirs of these virus families are rodents or arthropods (such as ticks and mosquitoes). In the case of arenaviruses, the natural reservoir is rodents.
Treatment
There is no single treatment for viral hemorrhagic fevers. Patients typically receive supportive therapy, but the effectiveness of treatment can vary depending on the virus.
Prevention
Prevention efforts focus on avoiding contact with host species. If a case of viral hemorrhagic fever occurs in a person, further transmission can be prevented by using infection control measures.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Viral hemorrhagic fever
- Wikipedia's article - Viral hemorrhagic fever
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