Kyasanur Forest disease (KFD) is an arboviral haemorrhagic fever transmitted by ticks in forests of South India. It was first recognized in 1957 in Shimoga district, Karnataka after monkey deaths and human cases. Since then, it has spread to other parts of South India. KFD virus is transmitted by the bite of infected Haemaphysalis ticks. Those at highest risk are males aged 20-40 who visit forests for work. Prevention focuses on controlling tick populations, personal protection measures, and vaccination of at-risk populations.

1. Dr Jazeela Mohamed Siddique
Senior Resident
Department of Community Medicine
Govt. TD Medical College, Alappuzha

2. INTRODUCTION
• Arthropod borne viral haemorrhagic disease
• Febrile disease
• Transmitted to man by bite of infective ticks

3. HISTORY
• 1957 : First recognised in Shimoga district of Karnataka
• Monkey disease
• Kyasanur Forest locality
• Mortality in monkeys  acute febrile prostrating illness among villagers
few human deaths

4. PROBLEM STATEMENT
• Original focus – Shimoga, Karnataka
• Spread to other districts of Karnataka
• 2013 : Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu
Wayanad, Kerala
• 2014 : Malappuram, Kerala
• 2015 : North Goa
• 2016 : Sindhudurg, Maharashtra

5. EPIDEMIOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS
• KFDV – member of group B Togavirus (Flavivirus)
• Prolonged viraemia in man ≥10 days
Agent factors

6. • Age: 20 – 40 years
• Sex: males > females
• Occupation: Cultivators visiting
forest with cattle or cutting wood
• Epidemic correlates with human
activity in forests ; January to June
Host factors

7. • Tropical evergreen, deciduous forests
• Clearing of forests for cultivation  change in tick flora and fauna
Environment factors

8. • Reservoir (Maintenance host) : small mammals – rats, squirrels, shrews
• Amplifying host: Monkeys
• Maintain tick population: Cattles
• Incidental or dead end host: Man
Natural host and reservoirs
Incubation period : 2 – 8 days

9. • Hard ticks of genus Haemophysalis
• H. spinigera
• H. turtura
• Human and monkey infections 
drier months (Jan – June)  peak
nymphal activity
Vectors Modes of transmission
• Bite of infective ticks (nymphs)
• Transtadial transmission

10. CLINICAL FEATURES
Acute phase
• sudden onset fever, headache, myalgia, prostration
• 2 weeks
• Severe cases : GI disturbances, haemorrhagic manifestations
Second phase
• After an afebrile period of 7 – 21 days
• Mild meningoencephalitis
• Case fatality rate: 5-10%

11. DIAGNOSIS
• History – occupation, travel to
forests
• Clinical signs and symptoms
• Confirmation
Virus in blood
Serological evidence
Conservative
• Antipyretics
• Analgesics
• Supportive therapy
TREATMENT

12. PREVENTION & CONTROL
• Control of ticks
 aircraft mounted equipment to dispense carbaryl, fenthion at 2.24 kg/hectare
at forest floor
 Spraying within 50 m around hotspots (monkey deaths)
Restriction of cattle movement  reduces vector population

13. • Personal protection
Adequate clothing- population at risk
Examine bodies at end of the day and
remove ticks
Discourage habit of sitting, lying on
ground
Insect repellants : DMP, DEET

14. • Vaccination
Population at risk – Killed KFD vaccine
2 doses – 1 month apart
Booster doses to be taken every 6-9 months

15. THANK YOU
https://www.slideshare.net/JazeelaMohamedSiddiq