Monkey fever or Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) has claimed two lives in Karnataka calling for urgent action and implementation of preventive measures to contain spread of the disease. The tick-borne haemorrhagic fever, usually contracted by monkeys, is caused by KFD virus which is an arbobirus of the family Flaviviridae. An 18-year-old girl and a 79-year-old man have so far succumbed to the disease, out of 49 positive cases in the state. The initial symptoms of the viral disease are sudden fever, headache, body ache, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea. while severe disease with haemorrhagic symptoms may occur later. It is important to control tick populations in wildlife, particularly monkeys, to prevent the spread.
Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) commonly known as Monkey Fever is a viral haemorrhagic disease that was first identified in 1957 in the Kyasanur Forest in the Western Ghats of India. It is caused by KFD virus (KFDV) which is an arbovirus of the family Flaviviridae.
“Initially confined to the Western Ghats of Karnataka, the disease has expanded its presence over the past decade, with reported cases extending to neighbouring states along the Western Ghats, such as Kerala, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. The disease’s burden is on the rise, reflecting a shift in its epidemiological profile and establishing it as an emerging tropical disease in India,” says Dr Laxman Jessani – Consultant Infectious Disease, Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai.
“Recently, 31 cases have been detected in Karnataka’s Uttara Kannada district with patients either being treated at home or admitted to hospitals but are reported to be stable. This indicates ongoing transmission and the need for continued surveillance and preventive measures in affected areas,” says Dr Jessani.
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