Emergency Preparedness

Kern Medical Bioterrorism Response Guide Section 2-C-2 – Viral Hemorrhagic Fever

VIRAL HEMORRHAGIC FEVER (VHF) - QUICK REFERENCE

Bioterrorism Epidemiology: Transmission: Except for Hantaviruses, all VHF viruses are highly contagious especially in the terminal stages of the disease; person to person contact with blood, all body fluids and tissue; coughing patients may aerosolize virus into the air may result in transmission. Incubation Period: Varies with each virus; range is 5 – 42 days. Clinical Disease: Varies slightly with each virus. The target organ is the vascular bed and the dominant clinical features are the result of microvascular damage and changes in vascular permeability. Common symptoms include fever, myalgias, prostration, conjunctival injection, hypotension, flushing, petechial hemorrhages, shock and generalized hemorrhage. Diagnosis: Presumptive based on clinical signs and symptoms. Treatment: Supportive care, pain and fever control, sedation, and hydration. Prophylaxis: None Isolation: See Recommendations for Isolation. Any suspected case of Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHF) MUST BE TREATED AS A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY and reported to the infection control practitioner [ insert telephone number ] and the local health department [ insert telephone number ] immediately.

1