Argentine hemorrhagic fever; O'Higgins disease; stubble disease

Etiology

• Junin virus

Epidemiology

• Argentina
• associated with fields containing stubble after the harvest
• vector is the corn mouse
• human transmission only occurs when contact is made with excrement of an infected mouse
  • commonly occurs via ingestion of contaminated food or water, inhalation of particles within urine or via direct contact of broken skin with rodent excrement

Clinical manifestations

• incubation time of 10-12 days
• first symptoms: fever, headache, weakness, anrexia, apathy
• vascular, neurological, renal, hematological & immune system manifestations
• conjunctivitis, purpura, petechia
• occasional sepsis
• disease generally resolves or kills patient within 2-3 weeks

Complications

• untreated, mortality is 15-30%

Management

• infusion of plasma of recovered patients
• ribavirin may be useful
• prevention: Junin vaccine available in Argentina

More general terms

• viral hemorrhagic fever syndrome; hemorrhagic nephroso-nephritis

Additional terms

• Junin virus