About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffSigns and symptoms of viral hemorrhagic fevers vary by disease. In general, initial symptoms may include:
- High fever
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Muscle aches
- Weakness
Symptoms can become life-threatening
Severe cases of some types of viral hemorrhagic fevers may cause bleeding:
- Under the skin
- In internal organs
- From the mouth, eyes or ears
Other signs and symptoms of severe infections can include:
- Shock
- Nervous system malfunctions
- Coma
- Delirium
- Seizures
- Kidney failure
When to see a doctor
The best time to see a doctor is before you travel to a developing country to ensure you've received any available vaccinations and pre-travel advice for staying healthy. If you develop signs and symptoms once you return home, consider consulting a doctor who focuses on international medicine or infectious diseases. A specialist may be able to recognize and treat your illness faster. Be sure to let your doctor know what areas you've visited.
- Bell M. Viral hemorrhagic fevers. In: Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/206119449-3/1014371662/1492/1348.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2805-5..50409-2_16895. Accessed June 11, 2010.
- Viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF): Current, comprehensive information on pathogenesis, microbiology, epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment and prophylaxis. Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/bt/vhf/biofacts/vhffactsheet.html. Accessed June 11, 2010.
- Viral hemorrhagic fevers: Fact sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/mnpages/dispages/vhf.htm. Accessed June 11, 2010.
- Farnon EC, et al. Viral hemorrhagic fevers. 2010 Yellow Book. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2010/chapter-5/viral-hemorrhagic-fevers.aspx. Accessed June 11, 2010.
- Peters CJ. What are VHFs and how can we respond medically? In: Mandell GL, et al. Mandell, Douglas and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00327-1&uniq=205678381&isbn=978-0-443-06839-3&sid=1012990473#lpState=opened&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00327-1--s0020%3Bfrom%3Dtoc%3Btype%3DbookPage%3Bisbn%3D978-0-443-06839-3. Accessed June 14, 2010.
- Zielinski-Gutierrez E, et al. Protection against mosquitoes, ticks and other insects and arthropods. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2010/chapter-2/protection-against-mosquitoes-ticks-insects-arthropods.aspx. Accessed June 17, 2010.
- Clean up rodent food sources and nesting sites. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/rodents/prevent_infestations/clean_up.html. Accessed June 17, 2010.
Find Mayo Clinic on