Saijo Masayuki
Department of Virology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases.
Nihon Rinsho. 2005 Dec;63(12):2161-6.
Viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) is defined as virus infections that usually cause pyrexia and hemorrhagic symptoms with multiple organ failure. VHF includes following viral infections: Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF), Marburg hemorrhagic fever (MHF), Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) and Lassa fever. In particular, the causative agents of EHF, MHF, CCHF, and Lassa fever are Ebola, Marburg, CCHF, Lassa viruses, respectively, and regarded as biosafety level-4 pathogens because of their high virulence to humans. Recently, relatively large outbreaks of EHF and MHF have occurred in Africa, and areas of EHF- and MHF-outbreaks seem to be expanding. Although outbreaks of VHF have not been reported in Japan, there is a possibility that the deadly hemorrhagic fever viruses would be introduced to Japan in future. Therefore, preparedness for possible future outbreaks of VHF is necessary in areas without VHF outbreaks.
病毒性出血热（VHF）被定义为通常会引起发热和出血症状并伴有多器官衰竭的病毒感染。VHF包括以下病毒感染：埃博拉出血热（EHF）、马尔堡出血热（MHF）、克里米亚-刚果出血热（CCHF）和拉沙热。特别是，EHF、MHF、CCHF和拉沙热的病原体分别是埃博拉病毒、马尔堡病毒、CCHF病毒和拉沙病毒，由于它们对人类的高毒力，被视为生物安全4级病原体。最近，非洲发生了相对较大规模的EHF和MHF疫情，且EHF和MHF疫情的地区似乎在扩大。虽然日本尚未报告VHF疫情，但未来致命性出血热病毒有可能传入日本。因此，在没有VHF疫情的地区，有必要为未来可能发生的VHF疫情做好准备。
