Mar 6, 2007

Rift Valley Fever

I returned from Tanzania last Friday and have been trying to adjust to the 7 hour time change since my return. Life is very different in Tanzania than in North America. One of my favorite wind-down activities at the end of the day was to read the local newspapers. Some of the articles, although true, were truly unbelievable. One of the articles in the Arusha Daily News last week described a hyena attack on a family while they were sleeping – a 7-month old and 3-year-old child were killed, and the mother, father and other siblings were also injured. It is difficult to comprehend the viciousness of this animal and the fact that it did not back off or scare off even when faced by a number of defenders – it continued to attack. So, how is that related to microbiology – it isn’t really, although I could make a connection if challenged.

There were numerous articles in the newspapers that related to microbiology topics as well. The headline in the Arusha Times on February 17, 2007 was “Fear grips town as Rift Valley Fever Spreads”. Rift valley fever (RVF) has hit several parts of northern Tanzania, including Arusha, where we were teaching and staying. An outbreak of RVF began in Kenya in late December, and to date has resulted in the deaths of more than 150 people in Kenya, and 3 people in Tanzania.

The outbreak has caused a change in the eating habits of Tanzanians. Fish and chicken have replaced meals dominated by beef, lamb and goat meat. Because of this, the price of fish and chicken has become prohibitively high for most people to afford. Because of this, bowls of beans and vegetables have replaced meat dishes. However, the risk of RVF associated with eating meat is small, assuming that the meat is properly cooked and has been handled carefully prior to cooking.

RVF affects animals primarily, but can cause disease in humans. It is caused by a virus that is spread by the bite of infected mosquitos. Many types of animals may be infected: cattle, sheep, camels and goats.

Further reading: