Hemorrhagic fever viruses: Pathogenesis, therapeutics, and emerging and re-emerging potential.

Hemorrhagic fever viruses (HFVs) pose a threat to global public health owing to the emergence and re-emergence of highly fatal diseases. Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) caused by these viruses are mostly characterized by an acute febrile syndrome with coagulation abnormalities and generalized hemorrhage that may lead to life-threatening organ dysfunction. Currently, the events underlying the viral pathogenicity associated with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome still underexplored. In this minireview, we address the current knowledge of the mechanisms underlying VHFs pathogenesis and discuss the available development of preventive and therapeutic options to treat these infections. Furthermore, we discuss the potential of HFVs to cause worldwide emergencies along with factors that favor their spread beyond their original niches.

Hemorrhagic fever viruses: pathogenesis, therapeutics, and emerging and re-emerging potential

Hemorrhagic fever viruses (HFVs) pose a threat to global public health owing to the emergence and re-emergence of highly fatal diseases. Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) caused by these viruses are mostly characterized by an acute febrile syndrome with coagulation abnormalities and generalized hemorrhage that may lead to life-threatening organ dysfunction. Currently, the events underlying the viral pathogenicity associated with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome still underexplored. In this minireview, we address the current knowledge of the mechanisms underlying VHFs pathogenesis and discuss the available development of preventive and therapeutic options to treat these infections. Furthermore, we discuss the potential of HFVs to cause worldwide emergencies along with factors that favor their spread beyond their original niches.

Fiebres hemorrágicas por Arenavirus en Latinoamérica / Hemorrhagic fever Arenaviruses in Latin America

Las fiebres hemorrágicas virales producidas por Arenavirus incluyen a los virus endémicos en África (Lassa) y el virus de la coriomeningitis linfocítica (LCMV), de distribución mundial, y los Arenavirus del Nuevo Mundo o Complejo Tacaribe, que incluye a los virus endémicos en las Américas (Junín, Machupo, Guanarito, Sabiá, Pichinde, entre otros). Los huéspedes naturales son los roedores y la infección en humanos se produce por el contacto con la orina y excretas. Las manifestaciones clínicas inicialmente son indistinguibles de otras fiebres hemorrágicas producidas por bacterias, parásitos y otros virus, constituyéndose esto en un problema de salud pública, por lo que se requiere realizar el diagnóstico diferencial utilizando técnicas serológicas y moleculares.

Viral hemorrhagic fevers caused by Arenaviruses include endemic viruses in Africa (Lassa fever) and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) of worldwide distribution, and the New World Arenavirus or Tacaribe Complex, which includes endemic viruses in the Americas (Junin, Machupo, Guanarito, Sabia, Pichinde, among others). The natural hosts are rodents and human infection occurs through contact with urine and excrements. The clinical manifestations are initially indistinguishable from other viral hemorrhagic fevers caused by bacteria, parasites and other viruses, constituting a public health problem. So it requires a differential diagnosis using serological and molecular techniques..

Manifestações mucocutâneas da dengue / Mucocutaneous manifestations of dengue

Dengue é doença viral sistêmica que ocorre de forma epidêmica em áreas tropicais e subtropicais da Asia, Américas e Africa. O vírus da dengue pertence ao gênero Flavivirus e à família Flaviviridae (arbovírus do grupo B). Aedes aegypti é o principal vetor e verdadeiro reservatório. A febre na dengue clássica persiste por período de dois a cinco dias com cefaléia intensa, mialgia, artralgia e dor retro-orbital. Alterações cutâneas incluem diversos achados como erupção morbiliforme que pode ser pruriginosa e que gera descamação residual, algumas manifestações hemorrágicas discretas como epistaxe, petéquias e sangramento gengival. Extravasamento capilar de plasma é responsável pela hemoconcentração e trombocitopenia observadas e que caracterizam a dengue hemorrágica. Manifestações cutâneas da dengue hemorrágica incluem lesões hemorrágicas disseminadas como petéquias e equimoses, mas também instabilidade hemodinâmica com pulso filiforme, pressão arterial convergente, extremidades frias, confusão mental e choque.

Dengue fever is a systemic viral disease that occurs epidemically in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Americas and Africa. The dengue virus belongs to the genus Flavivirus of the family Flaviviridae (group B arbovirus). Aedes aegypti is the major vector and the true reservoir for the virus. Classic dengue fever lasts for two-five days, with severe headache, intense myalgia, arthralgia and retro-orbital pain. Cutaneous alterations include several findings such as a diffuse morbilliform rash that may be pruritic and heals with desquamation, and minor bleeding phenomena such as epistaxis, petechiae, and gingival bleeding. Diffuse capillary leakage of plasma is responsible for the hemoconcentration and thrombocytopenia that characterize dengue hemorrhagic fever. Cutaneous manifestations of dengue hemorrhagic fever include many disseminated hemorrhagic lesions such as petechiae and ecchymoses, but also hemodynamic instability with filiform pulse, narrowing of pulse pressure, cold extremities, mental confusion, and shock.