Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers
Arenaviradae (Lassa, Junin, Machupo, Guanarito, and Sabia), Filoviradae (Marburg and Ebola), Bunyaviradae (Congo-Crimean hemorrhagic fever virus and hantaviruses)and Flaviradae (yellow fever and Dengue) can all cause viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF)
- Highly infectious after aerosolization
- Infectious dose can be as low as 1-10 organisms
- Risk of person-to-person transmission depends on virus
- Incubation period is 4 - 21 days, depending on virus
- Clinical presentation would vary by viral agent; however, dominant clinical features of all are a consequence of microvascular damage and changes in vascular permeability. Fever, myalgia, and prostration may evolve to shock, generalized mucous membrane hemmorhage, and neurologic, hematopoietic, or pulmonary involvement.
- Viral isolation should be handled in a Biosafety Level 3 or 4 facility and may take 3 - 10 days
- ELISA or reverse transcriptase PCR available for most VHF viruses
Isolation room with contact precautions.
Ribavirin (30 mg/kg IV × 1, then 15 mg/kg IV q 6 h × 4 days, 7.5 mg/kg IV q 8 × 6 days) may be helpful for Congo-Crimean hemorrhagic fever or arenaviruses
Licensed vaccine available only for yellow fever