Viral hemorrhagic fevers

Prepared by Prof. Dr
Ali Hussein Al-Mamouri

Viral hemorrhagic fevers are a group of diseases caused by multiple different viruses. These diseases affect many systems of the body’s organs at the same time, which leads to damage to blood vessels and interferes with the body’s ability to regulate itself. Some viral hemorrhagic fevers are not acute, but others may be Often fatal, they cause bleeding along with other symptoms, and the bleeding itself rarely leads to death. There are a number of viral hemorrhagic fever viruses that can be used as weapons, including:

Omsk hemorrhagic fever, Ebola, Marburg, Lassa, New World arenaviruses, Machupo (Bolivian hemorrhagic fever), Junin (Argentine hemorrhagic fever), Guanarito (Venezuela hemorrhagic fever), Sabia (Brazilian hemorrhagic fever), Rift Valley fever, Yellow fever , Ayasanur forest disease virus.

      In nature, people catch viral hemorrhagic fevers from infected ticks, mosquitoes, or rodents. People can become infected when they come into contact with the urine, feces, and other materials of an infected rodent. People can also catch viral hemorrhagic fevers from a mosquito or tick bite, or from crushing an infected tick. In some cases it is not clear and a person may become infected. Can you catch these diseases from other people? Some types of viral hemorrhagic fever viruses – including Ebola, Marburg and Lassa – can be transmitted from one person to another and spread through close contact with infected people or with Their bodily fluids, and people can become infected through contact with contaminated objects such as needles and syringes. These diseases often spread in tropical regions of the world. As for people who have been infected in the United States, they have recently traveled to one of those regions. It should be noted that there is no treatment for types of fever Viral hemorrhagic fever, but there are vaccines for a small number of them, so prevention remains the best method of treatment until scientists discover additional vaccines for it. Indicators and symptoms of viral hemorrhagic fever vary according to the disease. In general, early signs and symptoms can include the following:

fever

Tiredness, weakness, or a general feeling of being unwell

dizziness;

Muscle, bone or joint pain

Nausea and vomiting

diarrhea

      There is no cure for viral hemorrhagic fevers, but there are vaccines for only a few of them, so prevention remains the best method and treatment depends mainly on supportive care.

       Also, although there is no specific treatment for most types of viral hemorrhagic fevers, the antiviral drug ribavirin (Rebetol, Virazole, and others) may help shorten the course of some infections and prevent complications in some cases, and there are still other drugs that are being developed.

     Supportive care is necessary to prevent dehydration. You may need to take fluids to help maintain the balance of electrolytes, which are minerals needed for nerve and muscle function. Some people may benefit from dialysis (dialysis), which removes waste products from the blood, if you develop kidney failure.

     The yellow fever vaccine is generally considered safe and effective. However, in rare cases, serious side effects may occur. The yellow fever vaccine is not recommended for children younger than 9 months of age, pregnant women, especially during the first trimester, or people with weakened immune systems. you are visiting as some of these countries require vaccination certificates in order for you to be allowed to travel to them.