Rift Valley fever--Egypt, 1993

Abstract

In June 1993, several persons in Aswan Governorate (1993 population: 952,000) in southern Egypt sought medical care for acute loss of vision following an illness characterized by fever, headache, retro-orbital pain, and myalgias. Ophthalmologists who examined these persons noted paramacular retinal hemorrhages and edema, and Rift Valley fever (RVF) was suspected; serologic studies of these patients confirmed the diagnosis of acute RVF (1,2). In August 1993, serologic surveys were conducted in two villages to estimate the prevalence of RVF virus (RVFV) antibody among persons residing in selected rural communities in Aswan Governorate. This report summarizes the findings of these serosurveys and two nested epidemiologic studies conducted in the same villages 2 weeks later.