Kyasanur Forest Disease : In News
A 29-year-old man in Karnataka has tragically lost his life recently after contracting Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), commonly known as monkey fever, bringing fresh attention to a disease that often goes unnoticed until it turns fatal.It is a tick-borne viral haemorrhagic disease mostly found in southern India.The disease was first reported from the Kyasanur Forest of Karnataka in India in 1957; hence, it is known as KFD.The causal agent, KFD Virus (family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus), is a member of the tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) complex.It is also known as “monkey disease/monkey fever” because of its association with monkey deaths.Hard ticks (Hemaphysalis spinigera) spread the KFD virus to people and to animals, like monkeys and rodents.Transmission to humans may occur after a tick bite or contact with an infected animal, most importantly a sick or recently dead monkey.
KFD does not spread between people.
