MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine hemorrhagic fever not widespread but highly lethal

In 2023, only two people were diagnosed with AHF, but one died last Monday

Sanitary experts in the city of Rosario in the province of Santa Fe recommended people in rural areas get vaccinated against Argentine Hemorrhagic Fever (AHF). The once-in-a-lifetime chemical is free of charge and indicated for people between 15 and 65 years of age because “Santa Fe is an endemic area,” the specialists warned after the death of one man infected with the malady.

Rosario Municipal Director of Epidemiology Matías Lahitte insisted the injection was to be inoculated preventively to rural workers, although there have been cases of infected people in urban and peri-urban areas.

Last year there were only two cases reported but one of them died last Monday. In 2022, an alert was issued due to an increase in the number of cases of Argentine hemorrhagic fever in endemic areas, “with eight infections, of which two died,” Lahitte said.

Argentine hemorrhagic fever is endemic in only three provinces: Santa Fe, Buenos Aires, and La Pampa. Although “it is usually transmitted by rodents in the countryside, we have had cases in urban and peri-urban areas,” the infectiologist added.

“It is important to vaccinate the population because Santa Fe is an endemic area,” he went on while insisting that “the vaccine is included in the national calendar and is free of charge, and can be found in public hospitals.” The Candid #1 chemical consists of plasma from a person who has had this disease, to generate antibodies.

The vaccine is indicated for people aged between 15 and 65 years. “The content comes out of a multi-dose vial, so when a vial is opened, approximately 10 people should be vaccinated,” Lahitte also explained.

He also said that in the presence of symptoms and clinical suspicion of a clinical picture compatible with AHF, the provincial Cemar laboratory should perform the blood extraction. For those who have already been diagnosed with AHF, ”convalescent plasma (which is the plasma of a person who has had the disease, to generate antibodies) is also available to reduce mortality due to this virus,” the specialist also pointed out.