Amid the rising concerns over two confirmed cases of monkeypox in Kerala, nine cases of Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), or monkey fever have been reported from Maharashtra. Most of the cases have been found in the Sindhudurg district of the state. According to government officials, a total of 864 blood samples have been tested so far this year out of which 9 were found positive for KFD.
Monkey fever causes individuals to suffer from viral hemorrhagic fever, which can also affect the brain. KFD has no cure and it can only be prevented through vaccination and precautions.
Monkey fever is a zoonotic disease that spreads to humans by infected ticks. As the name suggests, the disease was first discovered in monkeys in the Kyasanur Forest range of Karnataka nearly six decades ago. The disease has remained endemic in the Shivamogga district of the state, and in the Sahyadri range spread across Maharashtra and Karnataka.
What are the symptoms?
After being bitten by an infected tick, the viral disease incubates in the human body for a period of 3-8 days before the onset of symptoms. Symptoms like chills, fever, and headache appear suddenly. The infected individuals also witness severe muscle pain with vomiting and gastrointestinal problems. Bleeding problems appear after 3-4 days of the onset of initial symptoms. Patients also suffer from low blood pressure. In many patients platelet, red blood cell, and white blood cell counts also decrease.
While some patients recover within 1-2 weeks, nearly 10-20 percent of patients suffer from the second wave of symptoms instead. Along with fever, patients then start to present “signs of neurological manifestations, such as severe headache, mental disturbances, tremors, and vision deficits,” according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What is the treatment?
There is no treatment that currently exists for monkey fever. Treatment is instead focused on ailing patients with their symptoms. The only protection against the disease is a vaccine that has been developed and used in the regions where the disease is endemic. Other forms of protection like insect repellants and wearing protective clothing is also necessary for the regions where the hard ticks are present.
(Edited by : Nishtha Pandey)
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