Kyasanur Forest Disease in India (Update)
02 Aug 2016
The media continues to report Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) in India in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra state. The Maharashtra state health department reported the 1st case of KFD in January this year, since then the virus has infected 125 people and seven people have died, all cases where reported from Sindhudurg district.
The Maharashtra state health department are aiming to vaccinate high-risk individuals between September and October 2016. High-risk individuals include: farmers, forest workers and people living in villages surrounded by forest in the Sindhudurg district.
Advice for Travellers
Monkeys, rodents, shrews and other animal can be hosts for KFD virus and the disease is transmitted by the bite of an infected tick. Most cases are reported in rural, forested areas during the dry season; November-June. KFD is endemic in southern India in the states of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
In India a vaccine is available against KFD in the states where the infection is endemic. The mainstay of care is supportive as there is no specific treatment for KFD. Prevention of tick bites is the primary means of protection against KFD for travellers.