What is hemorrhagic fever?

In general, hemorrhagic fever is a disease caused by hantavirus and transmitted via rodents. A detailed analysis is as follows:

Hemorrhagic fever usually refers to hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), also known as epidemic hemorrhagic fever. It is a zoonotic disease caused by hantavirus of the Bunyaviridae family. Rodents are the primary reservoirs, particularly species such as the black-line vole (Apodemus agrarius), brown rat (Rattus norvegicus), and large Japanese field mouse (Apodemus speciosus). Other animals such as cats, pigs, dogs, and rabbits, as well as early-stage patients, may also carry the virus, but humans are not considered major sources of transmission. Hantavirus can be transmitted through the respiratory tract, digestive tract, direct contact (via rodent bites or exposure of broken skin to infected rodent excreta or blood), mother-to-child transmission, arthropod vectors, and aerosols. Clinically, the disease is characterized by fever, hemorrhage, shock, and kidney damage. Typical cases progress through distinct phases: febrile phase, hypotensive shock phase, oliguric phase, polyuric phase, and convalescent phase. Most patients fully recover within 1 to 3 months; however, severe cases that are not diagnosed and treated promptly may result in death. Patients should follow medical advice and may be prescribed antiviral medications such as ribavirin tablets or acyclovir tablets for treatment.

If patients experience any symptoms, they are advised to seek timely medical attention at a hospital to avoid delays in diagnosis and treatment.