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Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHFs) |
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It is a US Public Health Service requirement that all
suspected viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) cases be reported to
state and local health departments and the diagnoses confirmed by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The preparedness of hospitals depends on
the biological agent used in an attack. In an emergency, local medical care
capacity will be supplemented with federal resources. The following references
focus on the preparedness and response of the medical community in the event of
a terrorist attack involving VHFs.
Emergency Response
- Braden, J.B. Preparing for and Responding to
Bioterrorism: Information for the Public Health Workforce. Northwest Center for Public Health Practice, University
of Washington, (2002, December). Provides training manuals that educates the
public workforce in relevant aspects of bioterrorism preparedness and
response. Course description is available as a 48 KB
PDF, 1 page.
- Braden, J. B. and J. Duchin. "Preparing
for and Responding to Bioterrorism: Information for Primary Care Physicians."
(2002, July). Also available as a 3 MB
PDF, 25 pages. Provides an introduction to
bioterrorism preparedness and response for
the public health workforce (Instructor manual
1).
- Braden, J. B. and J. Duchin. "Tularemia and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers."
(2002, July),
797 KB
PDF, 42 pages. Provides information for primary care clinicians
(Instructor manual 6).
- Lazarus, Ross, et al. "Use
of Automated Ambulatory-Care Encounter Records for Detection of Acute Illness
Clusters, Including Potential Bioterrorism Events."
Emerging Infectious Diseases 8.8(2002, August). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC). Describes a monitoring system that complements emergency room- and
hospital-based surveillance by adding the capacity to rapidly identify
clusters of illness, including potential bioterrorism events.
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Infection Control for Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers In the African Health Care
Setting. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Special
Pathogens Branch, (2005, April 27). Links to a manual developed by the CDC
using practical, hospital-based guidelines. The manual can help health care
facilities recognize cases and prevent further hospital-based disease
transmission by using locally available materials and few financial resources.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Treatment is available for some, but not all, VHFs. In the
event of an outbreak, routine infection control procedures, isolation, and
decontamination are usually enough to stop transmission. Patients receive
supportive therapy, but generally speaking, there is no other treatment or
established cure for VHFs.
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Viral Hemorrhagic Fever. University of Minnesota, Center for
Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), Academic Health Center.
Includes news, an overview, links to images, and resources.
- Clinical Pathway: Viral Hemorrhagic Fever.
(2002), 263 KB
PDF, 4 pages. Provides step-by-step procedures for patient evaluation and
treatment.
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Notice to Readers Update: Management of Patients with Suspected Viral
Hemorrhagic Fever -- United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) 44(25); 475-479, (1995, June 30).
Provides an update to the recommendations given in the document listed below.
Focuses on measures designed to control the spread of infection in VHF
patients.
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