Karnataka reports death due to Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) in Udupi district

Key facts

• A 29-year-old man from Tirthahalli taluk in Karnataka died of Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), commonly known as monkey fever, on 28 January.
• KFD is transmitted to humans through the vector Haemaphysalis spinigera, which is a forest tick, and other infection sources include squirrels and rats.
• The infection spreads through the bite of tick nymphs or contact with sick or dead infected monkeys, but it does not transmit via human-to-human contact.
• The incidence of the fever usually begins in October or November and reaches its peak between January and April.
• Clinical symptoms of KFD include chills, pounding headache, bleeding from the nose, throat, and gums, low blood pressure, and decreased platelet and blood counts.
• Neurological symptoms associated with the infection include nausea, vomiting, muscle stiffness, mental disorder, tremors, poor vision, severe headache, and poor reflexes.
• The case fatality rate for KFD ranges from 2% to 10% depending on early detection and access to healthcare.
• There is no specific treatment for the disease, and management involves supportive care such as intravenous fluid therapy to replace lost fluids and control haemorrhagic bleeding.