cHeroKee
02-08-2009, 10:30 AM
First Case Ever of Rare Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever in Denver <hr style="color: rgb(209, 209, 225); background-color: rgb(209, 209, 225);" size="1"> <!-- / icon and title --> <!-- message --> http://www.rockymountainnews.com/new...-shows-denver/ (http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2009/feb/06/rare-marburg-hemorrhagic-fever-shows-denver/)
Rare Marburg hemorrhagic fever shows up in Denver
By Tillie Fong, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published February 6, 2009 at 10:29 p.m.
The first known case of Marburg hemorrhagic fever in the United States was treated at Lutheran Medical Center in January 2008, it was announced Friday.
The disease, which is caused by a virus indigenous to Africa, is transmitted by contact with infected animals or the bodily fluids of infected humans.
The patient, who was not identified, had apparently contracted the virus when he visited Uganda.
While in that country, he had visited a python cave in Maramagambo Forest in Queen Elizabeth Park, where he came into contact with fruit bats, which are capable of harboring the Marburg virus.
The patient recovered after treatment at the hospital, but returned in June 2008 for a follow-up visit and was re-tested.
The CDC found in the repeat testing that the man had Marburg hemorrhagic fever, and sent Lutheran Hospital its findings at the end of last month.
The hospital is currently working with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the Jefferson County Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control to determine the risk to doctors and staff members who came in contact with the patient.
"Our investigation so far has concluded that none of the staff and physicians who cared for the patient has developed the symptoms consistent with this illness," said Kim Kobel, spokeswoman for Exempla Healthcare.
However, any medical staff member or doctor who are still concerned about possible exposure may get their blood tested at Lutheran Medical Center.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, the Marburg virus is indigenous to Africa and is found in infected animals, such as green monkeys.
The virus takes 5-10 days to incubate but the onset of the disease is sudden. Initial symptoms include fever, chills, headache and muscle pain.
However, after five days, a rash develops on the back, chest and stomach. The patient also starts experiencing nausea, vomiting, chest pain, sore throat, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Symptoms later become severe, which may include jaundice, inflammation of the pancreas, severe weight loss, delirium, shock, liver failure and multi-organ dysfunction. The disease can be fatal.
Since the disease can be spread by contact with infectious bodily fluids, like getting splashed by a blood drop, medical caregivers are advised to wear protective gowns, gloves and masks.
Lutheran Hospital officials said that when the patient first came in, the medical staff "followed the protocols for dealing with an unknown infection, including contact isolation (gown and glove) and testing for a number of infectious, with some of the tests being performed at the CDC."
It was not clear Friday why the initial CDC tests did not reveal the virus.
Subscribe to the Rocky Mountain NewsI am expected to parachute into situations that, frequently, others have failed to figure out how to solve,” Huebner said. “You need to decide where to operate and where to cauterize.”
Rare Marburg hemorrhagic fever shows up in Denver
By Tillie Fong, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published February 6, 2009 at 10:29 p.m.
The first known case of Marburg hemorrhagic fever in the United States was treated at Lutheran Medical Center in January 2008, it was announced Friday.
The disease, which is caused by a virus indigenous to Africa, is transmitted by contact with infected animals or the bodily fluids of infected humans.
The patient, who was not identified, had apparently contracted the virus when he visited Uganda.
While in that country, he had visited a python cave in Maramagambo Forest in Queen Elizabeth Park, where he came into contact with fruit bats, which are capable of harboring the Marburg virus.
The patient recovered after treatment at the hospital, but returned in June 2008 for a follow-up visit and was re-tested.
The CDC found in the repeat testing that the man had Marburg hemorrhagic fever, and sent Lutheran Hospital its findings at the end of last month.
The hospital is currently working with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the Jefferson County Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control to determine the risk to doctors and staff members who came in contact with the patient.
"Our investigation so far has concluded that none of the staff and physicians who cared for the patient has developed the symptoms consistent with this illness," said Kim Kobel, spokeswoman for Exempla Healthcare.
However, any medical staff member or doctor who are still concerned about possible exposure may get their blood tested at Lutheran Medical Center.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, the Marburg virus is indigenous to Africa and is found in infected animals, such as green monkeys.
The virus takes 5-10 days to incubate but the onset of the disease is sudden. Initial symptoms include fever, chills, headache and muscle pain.
However, after five days, a rash develops on the back, chest and stomach. The patient also starts experiencing nausea, vomiting, chest pain, sore throat, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Symptoms later become severe, which may include jaundice, inflammation of the pancreas, severe weight loss, delirium, shock, liver failure and multi-organ dysfunction. The disease can be fatal.
Since the disease can be spread by contact with infectious bodily fluids, like getting splashed by a blood drop, medical caregivers are advised to wear protective gowns, gloves and masks.
Lutheran Hospital officials said that when the patient first came in, the medical staff "followed the protocols for dealing with an unknown infection, including contact isolation (gown and glove) and testing for a number of infectious, with some of the tests being performed at the CDC."
It was not clear Friday why the initial CDC tests did not reveal the virus.
Subscribe to the Rocky Mountain NewsI am expected to parachute into situations that, frequently, others have failed to figure out how to solve,” Huebner said. “You need to decide where to operate and where to cauterize.”