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. 2010 Aug;83(2 Suppl):22-7.
doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2010.09-0318.

Epidemiologic and clinical aspects of a Rift Valley fever outbreak in humans in Tanzania, 2007

Mohamed Mohamed  1 , Fausta Mosha, Janeth Mghamba, Sherif R Zaki, Wun-Ju Shieh, Janusz Paweska, Sylvia Omulo, Solomon Gikundi, Peter Mmbuji, Peter Bloland, Nordin Zeidner, Raphael Kalinga, Robert F Breiman, M Kariuki Njenga
Affiliations

Epidemiologic and clinical aspects of a Rift Valley fever outbreak in humans in Tanzania, 2007

Mohamed Mohamed et al. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2010 Aug.

Abstract

In January 2007, an outbreak of Rift Valley fever (RVF) was detected among humans in northern Tanzania districts. By the end of the outbreak in June, 2007, 511 suspect RVF cases had been recorded from 10 of the 21 regions of Tanzania, with laboratory confirmation of 186 cases and another 123 probable cases. All confirmed RVF cases were located in the north-central and southern regions of the country, with an eventual fatality rate of 28.2% (N = 144). All suspected cases had fever; 89% had encephalopathy, 10% hemorrhage, and 3% retinopathy. A total of 169 (55%) of the 309 confirmed or probable cases were also positive for malaria as detected by peripheral blood smear. In a cohort of 20 RVF cases with known outcome that were also positive for human immunodeficiency virus, 15 (75%) died. Contact with sick animals and animal products, including blood, meat, and milk, were identified as major risk factors of acquiring RVF.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Map of Tanzania showing the districts that reported the Rift Valley fever (RVF) cases in the year 2007.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Epicurve of the Rift Valley fever (RVF) outbreak in Tanzania from January 24, 2007 to June 15, 2007. This is based on the confirmed and probable RVF cases.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Age distribution of confirmed and probable Rift Valley fever (RVF) cases.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
(A) Histopathological and (B) immunohistochemical analyses of the liver tissues from Rift Valley fever (RVF) cases during the outbreak in Tanzania, 2007. (A) Shows liver section with hematoxylin and eosin stain revealing extensive hepatocellular necrosis with acidophilic material in the cytoplasm (arrows). (B) Shows liver section with immunohistochemical staining for RVF viral antigens showing positive immunoreactivity in hepatocytes and Kupffer cells (arrows).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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