KYASANUR FOREST DISEASE (Monkey Fever)
Aditya Sharma1, Sheikh Uzma Farooq2
1Department of Veterinary Pathology, Khalsa College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Amritsar
2Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, Khalsa College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Amritsar
Kyasanur forest disease or KFD is a tick-borne viral haemorrhagic fever endemic (constant presence of disease) in Karnataka State, India. It is also referred as monkey fever by local people.
- The virus causing the disease: KFD virus (KFDV) is a member of the genus Flavivirus and family Flaviviridae.
- KFDV was first identified in 1957, when an illness occurred in monkeys (the black faced langur and the red faced bonnet monkey) in Kyasanur Forest area of Shimoga district, Karnataka State along with febrile illness and few deaths of humans in neighborhood area
Epidemiology:
KFD virus circulates through small mammals such as rodents, shrews, ground birds and an array of tick species including Haemaphysalis spinigera. When monkeys come in contact with the infected ticks, they get infected, amplify and disseminate the infection creating hot spots of infection. The people who pass through the forest are bitten by the infected nymphs of H. spinigera, which are highly anthropophilic
Clinical features:
- The onset is sudden with chills and high fever.
- The clinical symptoms include continuous fever for 12 days or longer, usually associated with severe myalgia, respiratory distress, diarrhea, vomiting and photophobia.
- The incubation period is of the disease is usually 2-7 days.
- Diarrhea and vomiting occurs by the third or fourth day of illness.
- Bleeding from the nose, gums and intestines begins as early as the third day, but the majority of cases run a full course without any haemorrhagic symptoms.
- Gastrointestinal bleeding is evidenced by haematemesis or fresh blood in the stools.
Diagnosis:
- Diagnosis is mainly symptomatic.
- Laboratory tests include Hemagglutination inhibition (HI), immunofluorescence and neutralization tests.
Treatment:
- No specific treatment for KFD is available; however, supportive therapy is important. This includes maintenance of hydration and the usual binding to precautions while travelling through forests
- Antibiotics and medicines to stop bleeding may be used in severe conditions in order to provide relief to the patient.
