Monkey Fever Claims Another Life: Symptoms, Prevention, And More You Need To Know

According to reports from Deccan Herald and Mint, a tragic incident occurred in Arendur village of Siddapura taluk, where a five-year-old girl lost her life to Kyasanur Forest Disease, commonly referred to as monkey fever, on Friday night. Despite receiving medical care at the KMC Hospital in Mangaluru, the child's health continued to deteriorate, and she ultimately succumbed to the illness.

Health authorities have identified that the virus responsible for this disease is transmitted through the bites of ticks that reside on monkeys. In response to this outbreak, officials have launched door-to-door awareness campaigns to educate the local populace about the disease and its prevention measures.

Notably, the first recorded fatality due to Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) or monkey fever in the region occurred on January 8 in Hosanagar taluk of Shivamogga district, where an 18-year-old girl tragically lost her life to the viral infection.

What is Monkey Fever or KFD? How is it transmitted?

According to the monkeyfeverrisk.ceh.ac.uk website, KFD is a tick-borne viral hemorrhagic disease that poses a severe threat to humans and other primates alike.

The causative agent, the Kyasanur Forest Disease Virus, belongs to the tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) complex and is primarily transmitted by various tick species, with Haemophysalis spinigera being the principal vector. These ticks commonly reside on monkeys, and humans can become infected by coming into direct contact with cattle that have been bitten by infected ticks.

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Monkey Fever Symptoms

As reported by India.com, the symptoms of Monkey Fever often start with a sensation of cold and a severe pounding headache. The disease may lead to abrupt chills and high fever initially. Visible signs usually appear 2 to 7 days after infection. The fever can last for 12 days or more, accompanied by minor bleeding from the nose, throat, gums, and even the intestines. In severe cases, it may cause bleeding in the lungs or intestinal blood loss, potentially resulting in death.

Monkey Fever Risk

Originating in 1957 within Karnataka's Kyasanur Forest, KFD has expanded its reach to new regions and states across India since 2012. According to health reports, there has been a significant rise in human cases, averaging around 500 annually, with 5-10% of those infected experiencing hemorrhagic symptoms. In the past five years alone, there have been no less than 340 confirmed fatalities due to KFD. Those affected include:

a) Farmers, both resident and migratory, who graze their livestock, predominantly cattle, in forested areas.

b) Tribal communities residing within forests, engaged in activities such as fuel wood collection and harvesting non-timber forest products.

c) Daily wage labourers working in plantations or employed by state forest departments.

Monkey Fever Prevention

a) Vaccination

b) Increasing public awareness

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