title: Epidemiologic and clinical aspects of a Rift Valley fever outbreak in humans in Tanzania, 2007.
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.
authors.affiliation: Tanzania Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. mahd67@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: Fausta
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mosha
authors.forename: Janeth
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mghamba
authors.forename: Sherif R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Zaki
authors.forename: Wun-Ju
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Shieh
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Paweska
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Omulo
authors.forename: Solomon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gikundi
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mmbuji
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bloland
authors.forename: Nordin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zeidner
authors.forename: Raphael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kalinga
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Breiman
authors.forename: M Kariuki
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Njenga
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D012295:Rift Valley Fever / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology; D012296:Rift Valley fever virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012307:Risk Factors; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral