Viral Hemorrhagic Fever (VHF)
2011 Case Definition
CSTE Position Statement(s)
- 10-ID-19
Subtype(s)
- Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus
- Ebola virus
- Lassa virus
- Lujo virus
- Marburg virus
- New World arenavirus – Guanarito virus
- New World arenavirus – Junin virus
- New World arenavirus – Machupo virus
- New World arenavirus – Sabia virus
Background
New World arenaviruses include: Guanarito, Machupo, Junin, Sabia viruses.Clinical Criteria
An illness with acute onset with ALL of the following clinical findings:
- A fever >40°C
- One or more of the following clinical findings:
- Severe headache
- Muscle pain
- Erythematous maculopapular rash on the trunk with fine desquamation 3–4 days after rash onset
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Pharyngitis (arenavirus only)
- Abdominal pain
- Bleeding not related to injury
- Retrosternal chest pain (arenavirus only)
- Proteinuria (arenavirus only)
- Thrombocytopenia
Laboratory Criteria For Diagnosis
One or more of the following laboratory findings:
- Detection of viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) viral antigens in blood by enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) antigen detection
- VHF viral isolation in cell culture for blood or tissues
- Detection of VHF-specific genetic sequence by Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) from blood or tissues
- Detection of VHF viral antigens in tissues by immunohistochemistry
Epidemiologic Linkage
One or more of the following exposures within the 3 weeks before onset of symptoms:
- Contact with blood or other body fluids of a patient with VHF
- Residence in—or travel to—a VHF endemic area
- Work in a laboratory that handles VHF specimens
- Work in a laboratory that handles bats, rodents, or primates from endemic areas
- Exposure to semen from a confirmed acute or convalescent case of VHF within the 10 weeks of that person's onset of symptoms