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
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