VIRAL HEMORRHAGIC FEVERS

WHAT ARE THEY?
Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHF) refers to a group of illnesses caused by several distinct families of viruses. While some of these viruses cause relatively mild illnesses, others cause severe, life- threatening ones, such as Ebola.

HOW ARE THEY SPREAD?
Many VHF viruses are known to naturally reside in an animal or insect host, however the hosts of some VHF viruses remain unknown, including that of Ebola and Marburg viruses. Some VHF viruses can be transmitted by the body fluids of infected people.

SYMPTOMS:
Reactions vary depending on the type of VHF, but symptoms often include fever, fatigue, dizziness, muscle aches and exhaustion. Severe cases cause bleeding under the skin and in internal organs. Some types of VHF cause kidney failure.

TREATMENT:
Generally there are no treatments other than supportive therapy for VHFs.

PREVENTION:
Vaccines are available for only two VHFs: yellow fever and Argentine hemorrhagic fever.

Source: CDC; Center for Civilian Biodefense Studies