Recently, a new disease is surging in the Indian state of Karnataka. The disease is called Kyasanur Forest disease or Monkey Fever. It is a form of hemorrhagic fever that spreads through monkeys. The recent surge in Monkey Fever cases has scared people to a point where many are saying that this can be the beginning of a new pandemic. Recently, monkey fever took the lives of an 18-year-old girl and a 79-year-old man in Karnataka. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves and make unrealistic assumptions about the disease. In this blog, we will tell you everything you need to know about monkey fever and its symptoms, as well as treatment and prevention. So, stay tuned.
What Is Monkey Fever?
The first case of monkey fever was reported in 1957 in Kattinakere village, which lies in the Kyasanur forest range of Karnataka. When the officials visited Kattinakere village and discovered the disease, they saw a board of Kyasanur Forest, hence the name. This is a hemorrhagic disease which causes viral Hemorrhagic fever and internal bleeding in acute cases. Monkey fever is a recurring phenomenon in southern states of India between March and May.
What Causes Monkey Fever
The main cause of monkey fever is tick bites, which carry the virus or come in contact with infected animals, mostly monkeys. These ticks act like a carrier of the disease. They bite the infected animals and then bite you to spread the virus. However, the Monkey virus is not transmissible, meaning it cannot spread from one person to another. This is a big relief as it kills the possibility of the Monkey virus becoming a pandemic.
What Are The Symptoms Of Monkey Fever
The symptoms of Kyasanur forest disease start showing after 3 days to a week of the tick bite. Initially, monkey fever starts abruptly with fever, exhaustion, body aches and chills. However, as the disease progresses, it escalates the symptoms to nausea, stomach ache, Diarrhoea, vomiting and even hemorrhagic signs like nose bleeding or bleeding of gum. If left untreated, dehydration, shock, haemorrhage and organ failure can lead to fatal results. Although the fatality rate of the disease is quite low, severe conditions can result in death.
Recent Cases And Fatality Rate Of Money Fever
As mentioned above, monkey fever is spreading quite rapidly this year, and the number of cases has increased compared to last year. According to government officials of Karnataka, as many as 500 people are infected by the disease, with around 105 active cases right now. Out of the 500 infected, most recovered, while 3 succumbed to the disease this year. Although the mortality rate of Monkey disease is somewhere around 2-4%, three people, an 18-year-old girl, a 79-year-old man and a 43-year-old agriculture labourer, are the three people who lost their lives this year. Every year, around 500 people contract this disease, and most of those people survive the disease if treated early.
Diagnose And Treatment
As mentioned before, it can take some time before you start seeing the symptoms of monkey fever. Due to this, the diagnosis of monkey fever relies heavily on clinical suspicion and confirmatory lab results like ELISA and RT-PCR assays, which can identify the immune response to monkey fever and detect the viral genetic material in the body. However, there are not many things you can do for treatment, as there is no antibacterial medication for this viral disease.
There is no pharmaceutical treatment for the disease. The best way to treat it is by managing the symptoms and providing proper supportive care. Stay hydrated, and take adequate rest and pain relief medication to subdue the symptoms quickly and effectively.
Prevention
As there is no proper treatment for this disease, preventing it might be your best chance to stay clear of Monkey fever. A few ways to prevent monkey fever include:
1- Insect Repellents
Using insect repellent is a very good option to prevent monkey fever as the primary cause of the disease is tick bites. Use repellents containing DEET to prevent ticks and other insect bites.
2- Protective Clothing
Another way to protect yourself from tick bites is to wear protective clothing. Wear full-sleeved shirts and tuck your pants in your shoes to cover any opening. Also, wear thick clothes.
3- Avoid Areas That Have Ticks
The best way to prevent monkey disease is to not venture out into the area that is the natural habitat of ticks. Stay clear from grass, mud and jungle environments.
4- Check For Ticks In Your House
You must check your pets for ticks. Ticks tend to stick to your pets’ fur and end up in your house. This can infect you and your pets. You can also use the best pet control methods to ensure there is no single tick in your house.
5- Vaccination
The best way to prevent Monkey fever or Kyasanur forest disease is to get vaccinated. Although the vaccination is not readily available, you can get it from government institutions in the infected area. Usually, people who take 2 doses of monkey fever vaccination have a 63% chance of avoiding the disease. However, if you take a booster dose, your chances increase to 82%.
Our Take On The Matter
Monkey Fever, or Kyasanur Forest Disease, is a big problem for people from south India. If not taken seriously, it can spread throughout India, leading to another pandemic. If you live somewhere where monkey fever is prominent, follow the steps to prevent the disease, and if you see any symptoms, visit your nearest medical centre as soon as possible.
Faqs
1- How is monkey fever transmitted?
A- Monkey fever is transmitted by tick bites or maintaining close proximity with an infected animal.
2- What disease did humans get from monkeys?
A- Marburg and Ebola are the 2 most prominent diseases we got from monkeys.
3- What is the original name of Monkey Fever?
A- Monkey fever was originally called the Kyasanur forest disease.
4- When was monkey fever discovered?
A- It was discovered in 1957 by some medical officials.
5- Is there any vaccine available for Monkey fever?
A- Yes there is a vaccine. However, you can only get in the areas that are infected.
