Rift Valley fever is a zoonotic disease caused by a virus that mainly affects animals but can also infect humans. It is transmitted by insect vectors and contact with infected animals or animal products. Symptoms range from mild flu-like symptoms to severe brain damage and internal bleeding. There is no cure, but supportive care can help patients survive. Hygiene and food safety precautions are recommended during outbreaks.
Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a viral infection mainly seen in animals. However, it can cross humans and is an example of a zoonotic disease. There are reservoirs of this disease in numerous African nations. Outbreaks of Rift Valley fever often occur after seasons of heavy rains, and cases have been documented as far north as the Middle East due to travel by infected people or animals and animal products that contain the virus.
The virus that causes Rift Valley fever belongs to the genus Phlebovirus. A very common mode of transmission is by insect vector. Insects such as mosquitoes that bite animals can transmit the virus between animals, and when the insects bite humans, they inject the virus into the human bloodstream. People can also get Rift Valley fever from handling infected animals and animal products such as meat and milk, and they can pass the virus to each other due to poor hygiene, such as not washing hands after touching their noses.
The first sign of a Rift Valley fever outbreak is often a spate of miscarriages among livestock, because the virus causes abortions in animals such as cattle and goats. People exposed to the virus become ill within two to six days. In the mildest form, Rift Valley fever presents with flu-like symptoms. The patient may feel nauseous and feverish for several days until the infection clears up, after which he should improve.
However, there are more serious forms of the disease. The ocular form attacks the eyes and can lead to blindness, for example, and Rift Valley fever can also cause meningitis and severe brain damage. Patients may also develop problems such as chronic joint pain due to the infection. A particularly lethal variant is the febrile hemorrhagic form of the virus, which causes death due to controllable bleeding, many of which are internal.
There is no cure for Rift Valley fever, although several companies have worked on developing a Rift Valley fever vaccine. Treatment focuses on providing supportive care to help the patient survive the flare-ups of the infection and isolating people with active infections so they cannot pass the virus on to others. During active outbreaks of Rift Valley fever, people are also encouraged to pay attention to hygiene and observe strict food safety precautions to reduce their risk of contracting the virus. However, this is not always possible, especially in remote regions which may lack the infrastructure to support better sanitation.
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