Pathologic studies on suspect animal and human cases of Rift Valley fever from an outbreak in Eastern Africa, 2006-2007.
Rift Valley fever (RVF) is an important viral zoonotic disease in Africa with periodic outbreaks associated with severe disease, death, and economic hardship. During the 2006-2007 outbreaks in Eastern Africa, postmortem and necropsy tissue samples from 14 animals and 20 humans clinically suspected of RVF were studied with histopathologic evaluation and immunohistochemical (IHC) assays. Six animal and 11 human samples had IHC evidence of Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) antigens. We found that extensive hepatocellular necrosis without prominent inflammatory cell infiltrates is the most distinctive histopathologic change in liver tissues infected with RVFV. Pathologic studies on postmortem tissue samples can help establish the diagnosis of RVF, differentiating from endemic diseases with clinical manifestations similar to RVF, such as malaria, leptospirosis, or yellow fever.
Shieh
Wun-Ju
WJ
Infectious Disease Pathology Branch, Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. wshieh@cdc.gov
Paddock
Chris D
CD
Lederman
Edith
E
Rao
Carol Y
CY
Gould
L Hannah
LH
Mohamed
Mohamed
M
Mosha
Fausta
F
Mghamba
Janeth
J
Bloland
Peter
P
Njenga
M Kariuki
MK
Mutonga
David
D
Samuel
Amwayi A
AA
Guarner
Jeannette
J
Breiman
Robert F
RF
Zaki
Sherif R
SR
D000351:Africa, Eastern / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006041:Goats; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D012295:Rift Valley Fever / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000662:veterinary; D012296:Rift Valley fever virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology
D000956:Antigens, Viral