Published Date: 2010-03-30 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR: (KO) susp. RFI
Archive Number: 20100330.1007

EBOLA HEMORRHAGIC FEVER - DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: (KASAI
ORIENTAL) SUSPECTED, REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
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Date: Thu 25 Mar 2010
Source: Sous le Manguier, Xinhuanet report [in French, trans. & summ.
Mod.CP, edited]
<http://www.souslemanguier.com/nouvelles/news.asp?id=11&idnews=22704&pays=148&rub>


6 suspected cases of hemorrhagic fever have been recorded between 2
and 14 Mar 2010 in the Kitule Health Zone, which lies 135 km south of
Buta in Orientale province in the north-east of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (DRC). According to Bienvenue Apatala, a
physician in the Kitule Health Zone who confirmed this information on
Thursday [25 Mar 2010], 3 of the 6 victims have died, and the other 3
patients are in a nearby hospital. The virus responsible for this
outbreak has not yet been identified.

However, all 6 patients exhibited similar signs: high fever, extreme
fatigue, and vomiting with discharge of blood. Blood samples from the
patients have been sent to Kinshasa for appropriate laboratory analysis.

This outbreak of disease with symptoms reminiscent of Ebola
hemorrhagic fever has created panic in the local population. Ebola
hemorrhagic fever virus infection is usually accompanied by a rapid
rise in temperature, extreme weakness, myalgia, headache and
difficulty in swallowing. Fever is succeeded by vomiting, renal
insufficiency, hepatitis and hemorrhage. The disease is transmitted by
contact with blood and other secretions. There is no specific vaccine
for protection against Ebola hemorrhagic fever.

Outbreaks of Ebola hemorrhagic fever were recorded in Orientale
province in 1999 and 2000. It had occurred previously in Equateur
province during 1976 and in 1977, at Bandunduin in 1995 and in
Kasai-Occidental in 2007 and 2008.

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[Ebola hemorrhagic fever is suspected not unreasonably on the basis of
its prior occurrence in Orientale province of the Democratic Republic
of Congo in earlier years. However, the clinical features and the high
CFR are not sufficient to confirm this diagnosis.

In general, the term "viral hemorrhagic fever" is used to describe a
severe multisystem syndrome (multisystem means that multiple organ
systems in the body are affected). Characteristically, the overall
vascular system is damaged, and the body's ability to regulate itself
is impaired. These symptoms are often accompanied by hemorrhage;
however, the bleeding is itself rarely life-threatening. Viral
hemorrhagic fevers are caused by viruses of several distinct families,
namely the arenaviruses, the filoviruses, the bunyaviruses, and some
flaviviruses. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, likely candidates
beside Ebola hemorrhagic fever virus include Marburg, Lassa and
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever viruses. Further information is awaited.

A map of the provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo is
available at:
<http://www.mapsofworld.com/democratic-republic-of-congo/democratic-republic-of-congo-political-map.html>.
The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of the Democratic Republic
of the Congo can be accessed at: <http://healthmap.org/r/008z>. -
Mod.CP]

See Also

Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo, DR (09): (KO) NOT 20091123.4029
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (08): (KS) conf. 20091113.3927
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (07): (KS) 20090202.0462
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (06): (KS) 20090124.0315
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (05): (KS) 20090115.0173
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (04): (KS) 20090114.0159
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (03): (KS) 20090111.0113
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (02): (KS) 20090108.0082
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR: (KS), WHO 20090102.0013
2008
----
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (03): (KS) 20081231.4133
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (02): (KS) 20081229.4093
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR: (KS), WHO 20081227.4086
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