Komugisha Mariam, Kibwika Brian, Kwesiga Benon, Migisha Richard, Muwanguzi David, Lunkuse Stella, Kayiwa Joshua, Nansikombi Hildah Tendo, Bulage Lilian, Tayebwa Dickson Stuart, Nyakarahuka Luke, Ario Alex Riolexus
Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program-Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda.
PLOS Glob Public Health. 2025 Aug 25;5(8):e0003420. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003420. eCollection 2025.
Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a viral zoonosis which occurs sporadically in Uganda. On July 24, 2023, a 24-year-old male animal husbandry officer from Nakaseke District presented to a hospital in Kampala District with history of intermittent nosebleeds. He tested positive for Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). We investigated to identify the source, estimate the magnitude, and determine the drivers of the outbreak, in order to inform control measures. We defined a suspected case as a sudden onset of fever (≥38°C) and ≥2 of: headache, skin rash, muscle/joint pain, intense fatigue, dizziness, coughing, abdominal pain, or unexplained bleeding from any site in a resident of Kinyogoga Village, Nakaseke District from June 1-July 30, 2023. A confirmed case was a suspected case with positive RT-PCR for RVFV. We conducted active case finding, environmental assessments, interviewed secondary cases and the family members of the deceased index case, and collected blood samples for testing. We identified eight case-patients, all males and one died. Median age for both the suspected and confirmed case-patients was 25 years (range: 19-28). Symptoms included: high fever (100%), headache (100%), vomiting blood and nose bleeding (25%). The case-patients identified (one animal husbandry officer and seven herders) worked on three affected farms that had recently recorded high rates of abortion and mortality in cattle and shoats. The index case started vomiting blood on July 19, 2023; RVF was confirmed five days later. Prior to that, he had visited three health facilities within the outbreak area that clinically diagnosed brucellosis, typhoid and gastritis. This RVF outbreak likely resulted from contact with infected livestock and their products. We recommend training healthcare workers, animal health workers and animal handlers on RVF, strengthening surveillance, vaccinating livestock, implementing mosquito control measures and conducting community education.
裂谷热（RVF）是一种病毒性人畜共患病，在乌干达偶有发生。2023年7月24日，一名来自纳卡塞克区的24岁男性畜牧官员因间歇性鼻出血前往坎帕拉区的一家医院就诊。通过逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）检测，他的裂谷热病毒（RVFV）呈阳性。我们展开调查以确定疫情源头、估计规模并查明驱动因素，以便为控制措施提供依据。我们将疑似病例定义为2023年6月1日至7月30日期间，纳卡塞克区金约戈加村居民突然发热（≥38°C）且伴有以下症状中至少两种：头痛、皮疹、肌肉/关节疼痛、极度疲劳、头晕、咳嗽、腹痛或不明原因的任何部位出血。确诊病例为RVFV的RT-PCR检测呈阳性的疑似病例。我们开展了主动病例搜索、环境评估，对二代病例以及首例死亡病例的家属进行了访谈，并采集血样进行检测。我们确定了8例病例患者，均为男性，其中1例死亡。疑似和确诊病例患者的年龄中位数均为25岁（范围：19 - 28岁）。症状包括：高烧（100%）、头痛（100%）、吐血和鼻出血（25%）。已确定的病例患者（一名畜牧官员和七名牧民）在三个受影响的农场工作，这些农场近期牛和小猪的流产率和死亡率很高。首例病例于2023年7月19日开始吐血；五天后确诊为裂谷热。在此之前，他曾前往疫情地区内的三家医疗机构就诊，临床诊断为布鲁氏菌病、伤寒和胃炎。此次裂谷热疫情可能是由于接触受感染的牲畜及其产品所致。我们建议对医护人员、动物卫生工作者和动物饲养员进行裂谷热培训，加强监测，为牲畜接种疫苗，实施蚊虫控制措施并开展社区教育。
