Experts in infectious diseases believe it might only be a matter of time before a new mosquito-borne virus arrives in the U.S. This one could be more devastating than West Nile. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Tracy Samilton reports:
Transcript
Experts in infectious diseases believe it may only be a matter of time
before a new mosquito-borne virus arrives in the U.S. This one could
be more devastating than West Nile. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s
Tracy Samilton reports:
Rift Valley fever used to be confined to sub-Saharan Africa, but in
2000, there were outbreaks in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Sonja Gerrard is
an epidemiologist at the University of Michigan. She says there’s no
reason Rift Valley fever couldn’t show up here. The disease is
transmitted by mosquitoes, just like West Nile; but unlike West Nile,
many different species of mosquitoes can carry it.
“Most people that get the disease will recover but it does in certain
instances cause encephalitis, which in cases of hemorrhagic fever can
lead to death”
Gerrard says the most devastating effect of Rift Valley fever is on
livestock. Up to 30% of a flock of sheep or cattle can be killed
during outbreaks. Because it’s considered likely the disease will
reach the U.S. sooner or later, she says research on developing a
vaccine should begin now. For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m
Tracy Samilton.