New focus of Kyasanur Forest disease virus activity in a tribal area in Kerala, India, 2014.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Kyasanur Forest disease (KFD) is a febrile illness characterized by hemorrhages, and is reported endemic in the Shimoga district in Karnataka state, India. It is caused by the KFD virus (KFDV) of the family Flaviviridae, and is transmitted to monkeys and humans by Haemaphysalis ticks.

Findings

We investigated a new focus of KFD among tribals in a reserve forest in Kerala state, India. A suspected case was defined as a person presenting with acute fever, headache, or myalgia. Human sera were collected and tested for KFDV RNA by real-time RT-PCR, RT-nPCR assay, and anti-KFDV IgM and IgG by ELISA. The index case was a tribal woman with febrile illness, severe myalgia, gum bleeding, and hematemesis. Anti-KFDV IgM antibody was detected in acute and convalescent sera of

SUBMITTER: Tandale BV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4351674 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature