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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffNo specific treatment exists for most VHFs, although the antiviral drug ribavirin may help shorten the course of infection and prevent complications in certain arenaviruses and bunyaviruses. Whether bleeding complications should be treated with therapies such as clotting factors, platelets and heparin remains a matter of debate.
Supportive care is essential for every person with VHF, no matter what type of virus is involved. This is likely to include measures to:
- Provide adequate fluids and maintain the balance of electrolytes — substances such as sodium, potassium, chloride and calcium, which control the movement of nutrients into cells
- Aid breathing with a mechanical ventilator, if necessary
- If needed, provide kidney dialysis, an artificial way of removing excess fluids and wastes from your body when your kidneys stop working
- Provide therapy for secondary infections and other complications
