Figueiredo Luiz Tadeu Moraes
Centro de Pesquisa em Virologia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP.
Rev Soc Bras Med Trop. 2006 Mar-Apr;39(2):203-10. doi: 10.1590/s0037-86822006000200014. Epub 2006 May 5.
To call attention to viral hemorrhagic fevers, diseases that are mostly underdivulged and, probably, underreported, we present here case reports of the 4 diseases of this kind that occur in Brazil: yellow fever, dengue haemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome, arenavirus haemorrhagic fever and hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome. Relevant clinical, epidemiological and laboratorial diagnostic aspects of these viral haemorrhagic fevers are also shown here. These diseases have a high case fatality rate, induce capillary leaking and blood coagulation disturbances that are evidenced by hemoconcentration and thrombocytopenia. An early clinical diagnosis and treatment is fundamental for patient survival.