Have you heard of that disease where people bleed from their eyes?
Yes, it’s called viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF). It was covered in the news last week because of a confirmed case of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, a type of VHF, in Uganda.
What is VHF?
It’s an infectious disease that interferes with the body’s ability to clot. Other well-known VHF diseases include Ebola, Dengue, and Yellow fever.
Can we get this in the US?
Yes, but historically when VHF has been found in the US, it’s usually in cases where the person traveled to another country (usually tropical) and became infected there. You may remember the Ebola outbreak of 2014.
The disease can spread by contact with infected animals, people, or insects. In the case of Crimean-Congo VHF, it is transmitted via a tick bite.
