Hemorrhagic Fever in the USA: Symptoms & Prevention

Viral hemorrhagic fever is found all around the world. They are, though not native to the United States. The VHF viruses require an animal or insect as a host to survive; they are usually rare outside of the area where the host for the particular virus is found.  Most common vectors of the disease are rats and mice, but they are also carried by ticks and mosquitoes. 

 

Since the virus is not native to the USA, it is not endemic to the country, and appears occasionally in the country under travel-related situations, accidental exposure of animals in advanced research facilities, and sometimes through imported animals. They are a cause of great health concern worldwide because they have a poor prognosis, and there is a lack of vaccination or specific drugs for effective treatment of the disease. So, it is quite important to understand the causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of the disease, so that effective treatment is possible. 

What is Hemorrhagic Fever?

Viral hemorrhagic fever is a group of zoonotic diseases that are specifically caused by seven distinct families of viruses. It is a condition of the body where the organs are affected, the cardiovascular system gets damaged, preventing blood from clotting, thus drastically affecting the ability of the body to function properly. In severe cases, they can even cause organ failure and shock. 

Viral hemorrhagic fever encompasses a broad spectrum of illnesses caused by different viruses, which include:

• Ebola Virus Disease: Indigenous to Africa, it is caused by the Ebola virus. 
• Marburg Virus Disease: A disease quite similar to Ebola, Marburg is often classified as a rare and serious sickness. 
• Lassa Fever: It is a commonly occurring disease in West Africa, primarily spread through rodents. 
• Dengue Fever: Commonly found in tropical areas, the disease is caused by the Aedes mosquito.
• Yellow Fever: Directly affecting the liver, this disease is caused by mosquitoes. 
• Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever: This disease has a high death rate and is borne through ticks. 
• Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome: A disease that is transmitted through rodent droppings.

What Are the Symptoms of the Disease?

Certain symptoms can appear once you are infected with the disease, but it always varies depending on the type of virus and the stage of discovery of the disease. Mainly, there can be early, advanced, and severe symptoms associated with the disease, which are:

Early Symptoms: The onset of the disease causes early symptoms like headache, dizziness, muscle ache, fever, and fatigue. 

Advanced Symptoms: On further progression of the disease, the symptoms of abdominal pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, external and internal bleeding start. 

Severe Symptoms: During a later stage, where treatment options become limited, the symptoms of organ failure, shock, coma, and even neurological leads to further complications. 

The symptoms associated with the disease can worsen very fast if timely medical intervention is not done. 

What Are the Causes?

The viral haemorrhagic diseases, infectious in nature, can only be caused by distinct family of viruses, and the mode of transmission varies:

• Contact with an animal: The primary vectors for transmission of the disease are rodents, bats, and primates.
• Insect bites: Insects like mosquitoes and ticks are common vectors, causing certain types of fever and ailments. 
• Environmental exposure: In areas with infected animals, direct inhalation of the viral particles from the air can cause spread of the infection. 
• Human-to-human transmission: Direct contact with an infected person, through bodily fluids or objects contaminated by them, can cause transmission. 

Transmission Across Borders:

Even though the viral hemorrhagic fever is endemic to a specific region, there are various ways through which it gets transmitted throughout the world. This is one of the most concerning reasons for the outbreak of these diseases in the USA and different parts of the world. The main ways through which these pathogens can cross borders and reach new regions are:

Trading and Commerce Globally: As goods, services, and products get moved globally, they indirectly lead to the transportation of these viruses. The vectors usually migrate through cargo ships, airplanes, and goods transported. Other than this, the trading of meat, exotic pets, and livestock can also cause a direct introduction of these pathogens into a new ecosystem. 

International Travel: The most common way of transmission of any infectious disease is through international travel. The infected human travelers can very easily spread it throughout the places they visit, eventually leading to severe cases and a major outbreak. 

Encroachment and Urbanisation: The rapidly increasing case of urbanisation and encroachment, along with human expansion, has left the ecosystem quite vulnerable to close contact with animal hosts. Once the infection that is localized to a remote area gets transmitted to urban areas through transportation, it leads to rapid global spread of the disease at the global level. 

Healthcare: Healthcare serves as the ground for secondary transmission through clinics and hospital settings. It can occur in places where there is a lack of infection control and sanitation protocol followed. 

Ecological and Climatic Changes: The changing weather patterns also cause a paradigm shift in the spread of vector-borne hemorrhagic fever, thus causing it to transcend across geographical boundaries. The erratic climate change can cause the viruses previously found confined in a particular region to thrive in an unaffected area.

What is the Treatment Option Available?

There is no definite treatment method usually followed to cure viral hemorrhagic fever. Once diagnosed, the doctors provide supportive treatment and targeted therapies, so that the survival rate of the infected individual improves. 

Supportive Care: It includes blood transfusions for severe bleeding, oxygen therapy for respiratory issues, and administration of intravenous fluids for preventing dehydration.

Experimental Therapies: The infected individual can be given monoclonal antibodies and convalescent plasma in case of Ebola fever. For Lassa fever, the antiviral drug ribavirin is used, which has promising results.

Medical Isolation: Since the hemorrhagic fever is highly contagious and deadly, individuals who are infected or suspected to be infected with it are put under strict isolation and quarantine. Even the healthcare workers taking care of them need to use rigorous personal protective equipment to prevent transmission and outbreak of the disease. 

How Can They Be Prevented?

Certain strategies can be followed to prevent the onset of the disease. These strategies are quite critical in helping to control and stop the spread of the disease, which can cause major pandemic situations. Some of the ways are quite simple and easy to follow:

• Use protective clothing and insect repellents whenever necessary. 
• Strictly avoid contact with infected animals and rodents.
• Removal of rodent habitat, better sanitation practices, and protocols. 
• Proper training and education on preventive measures and transmission of the disease. 
• Safe and protective burial practices for individuals who have been infected with the disease.

Winding up

The viral hemorrhagic fever is a serious, potentially life-threatening disease that is rare but has emerged as a point of concern in the USA. Even with the virus being present in specific areas and regions, the USA faces major risks through foreign travelers and natives traveling from foreign lands. It is deadly, so prevention through rodent control, wise and informed travel decisions, and insect protection is the best way to protect yourself and your family. Even the healthcare workers need to be vigilant and alert towards the rise of such cases and scenarios. The future can guarantee better protection against these diseases, with advancements in the medical field, but at present, we need to protect ourselves 

Once diagnosed with the disease, the recovery is a long way to go, with medications, different treatment approaches, and rehabilitation once fully cured. All of this is sure to drain your finances and cause a crunch in the savings if not carefully planned. The best way to get maximum coverage throughout your treatment would be to buy a health insurance planning.  

Niva Bupa Health Insurance can serve as your trusted partner, offering travel and NRI health insurance plans. You can choose from their individual or group plans, which will help you with the right assistance in times of medical emergencies. The insurer will provide you with comprehensive coverage options, which ensure financial protection and stability, during the entire treatment and recovery period. 

FAQS

1. Can viral hemorrhagic fever only be transmitted through direct contact with an infected individual?

No, human contact is not the only way through which viral hemorrhagic fever can occur. There are multiple modes of transmission, such as mosquito and tick bites, contact with infected animals, inhaling or coming in contact with contaminated materials.

2. Once infected, is there no chance of recovery?

Even though viral hemorrhagic fever is the deadliest of infections, there is a chance of recovery with early medical support and advanced therapies.

3. Is vaccine available for viral hemorrhagic fever?

For most viral hemorrhagic fevers, a vaccine is not readily available. But there are some FDA-approved preventive vaccines available for a few, like Ebola, Yellow Fever, and Dengue. Others are in a developmental stage and are not yet available for the general public.

4. How does viral hemorrhagic fever affect animals?

The intensity of the effect of the fever is not equal for all animals. The impact can vary from being an asymptomatic carrier to suffering from organ failure. Some of the animals, like bats and rodents, act as hosts and carriers. Non-human primates like gorillas and chimpanzees suffer severely and transmit the disease to humans.