What is Rift Valley Fever in cattle?

Rift Valley Fever is a viral disease of cattle and sheep that was first discovered in the Rift Valley of Kenya. The disease is spread to livestock through the bite of infected mosquitoes during years of heavy rainfall. The disease causes high death rates in young animals and abortions in older animals.

Why is it called Rift Valley Fever?

Name and nature of infecting organism Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a disease of domestic ruminants, caused by an arbovirus belonging to the Phlebovirus genus (Bunyaviridae family). The RVF virus was first identified in 1931 during an investigation into an epidemic among sheep on a farm in the Rift Valley in Kenya.

How is Rift Valley Fever?

Definitive diagnosis of RVF requires laboratory testing of blood or other tissue samples. The virus can be detected in the blood (during illness) and in postmortem tissue by virus isolation in cell culture and by molecular techniques (reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, or RT-PCR).

What are the symptoms of Rift Valley Fever?

Most commonly, people with RVF have either no symptoms or a mild illness that includes fever, weakness, back pain, and dizziness at the onset of illness. Typically, patients recover within two days to one week after symptoms start.

How is Rift Valley fever spread to cattle?

Rift Valley Fever is a viral disease of cattle and sheep that was first discovered in the Rift Valley of Kenya. The disease is spread to livestock through the bite of infected mosquitoes during years of heavy rainfall. The disease causes high death rates in young animals and abortions in older animals.

How long does it take to recover from Rift Valley fever?

Rift Valley Fever is a highly zoonotic disease, meaning that it can be transmitted from animals to people readily. The disease is typically mild with patients showing flu-like symptoms and photophobia (sensitivity to light). Recovery often occurs in seven days and is uneventful.

Where was the first case of RVF found?

It was first reported in livestock by veterinary officers in Kenya’s Rift Valle y in the early 1910s. RVF is generally found in regions of eastern and southern Africa where sheep and cattle are raised, but the virus exists in most of sub – Saharan Africa, including west Africa and Madagascar.

What are the effects of RVF virus on humans?

Outbreaks of RVF can have major societal impacts, including significant economic losses and trade reductions. The virus most commonly affects livestock, causing disease and abortion in domesticated animals, an important income source for many.