Viral Haemorrhagic Fever (VHF) in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) is a group of rare but extremely serious illnesses caused by several families of viruses, including Ebola, Marburg, Lassa, and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF). These diseases are not naturally found in Grand Rapids or elsewhere in Michigan, but they are important for travelers, healthcare workers, and public health planning.

Most VHF infections occur in parts of Africa, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, India, the Middle East, and Northwest China. However, because people travel globally—including from Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids—local healthcare systems such as Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health), Trinity Health Grand Rapids, and Metro Health are prepared to recognize and manage suspected cases.

What Is Viral Haemorrhagic Fever?

Viral haemorrhagic fevers are caused by viruses that can damage blood vessels, affect the body’s ability to clot blood, and disrupt multiple organs. In severe cases, this can lead to internal and external bleeding (haemorrhage), shock, and death.

Main VHF Virus Families

The major virus families that cause VHF include:

  • Arenaviruses (e.g., Lassa fever)
  • Filoviruses (e.g., Ebola, Marburg)
  • Bunyaviruses (e.g., Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever)
  • Flaviviruses (e.g., yellow fever, dengue—some of which can have haemorrhagic forms)

Not all viruses in these families cause haemorrhagic disease, but the ones that do are among the most dangerous infections known.

How Viral Haemorrhagic Fever Spreads

VHF viruses can spread in several ways. Although these infections are rare in the United States, the transmission patterns are important for Grand Rapids residents who travel or work in healthcare.

Common Transmission Routes

  • Direct contact with body fluids
    Contact with infected blood, saliva, urine, vomit, feces, semen, or other body fluids can spread many VHF viruses. This is a key route for Ebola and Marburg.

  • Bites from infected insects or ticks

    • Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is usually spread by infected ticks.
    • Some other VHF viruses may be spread by mosquitoes or other biting insects.

  • Contact with infected animals

    • Fruit bats are believed to be the natural reservoir for Ebola and Marburg.
    • Rodents are the main reservoir for Lassa fever.
    • Farm animals such as cattle, goats, sheep, and hares can host CCHF and transmit it to humans during slaughter or handling.

  • Accidental inoculation
    Needle-stick injuries or other puncture wounds with contaminated equipment can transmit these viruses—an important risk for healthcare and laboratory workers.

  • Person-to-person transmission
    Many VHF viruses can spread between people through close contact with infected body fluids, especially in healthcare settings or during home care without proper protection.

In Grand Rapids, standard infection control practices in hospitals like Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital and Trinity Health Grand Rapids Hospital are designed to prevent this kind of spread.

How Quickly Do Symptoms Appear? (Incubation Period)

The incubation period is the time between exposure to the virus and the first symptoms. It varies by virus:

  • Ebola virus

    • Likely reservoir: African fruit bats
    • Transmission: person-to-person via body fluids, contact with infected animals, accidental inoculation
    • Incubation: usually 2 to 21 days

  • Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF)

    • Reservoir and vector: ticks
    • Hosts: wild and domestic animals such as cattle, goats, sheep, hares
    • Transmission: tick bites, contact with infected animal blood/tissues (e.g., slaughtering), accidental inoculation
    • Incubation: about 2 to 9 days

  • Lassa fever

    • Reservoir: wild rodents
    • Transmission: contact with rodent urine or droppings, contaminated food, person-to-person via body fluids, accidental inoculation, laboratory exposure
    • Incubation: about 1 to 3 weeks

  • Marburg virus

    • Reservoir: believed to be African fruit bats
    • Transmission: contact with bat habitats, person-to-person via body fluids, accidental inoculation
    • Incubation: about 3 to 10 days

Although these viruses are not circulating in West Michigan, understanding the incubation period is crucial for travel medicine clinics and public health officials in Kent County when evaluating sick travelers returning to Grand Rapids.

Symptoms of Viral Haemorrhagic Fever

VHF usually begins suddenly and dramatically. Early symptoms can resemble many other infections, including influenza, which is common during Michigan’s cold winters. However, VHF becomes much more severe.

Common Early Symptoms

  • High fever
  • Headache
  • Muscle aches and pains
  • General malaise (feeling very unwell)
  • Abdominal (stomach) pain
  • Vomiting and diarrhoea

Severe and Late Symptoms

  • Haemorrhaging (bleeding): from gums, nose, injection sites, or internal bleeding
  • Bruising and rash
  • Low blood pressure and shock
  • Organ failure (liver, kidneys, etc.)
  • Confusion, agitation, or loss of consciousness

In the most severe outbreaks, the death rate can be as high as 90%, depending on the virus and the quality and timing of medical care.

If someone in Grand Rapids develops sudden high fever and severe illness after recent travel to a VHF-affected region, they should seek emergency medical care immediately and mention their travel history.

Diagnosis of Viral Haemorrhagic Fever in Grand Rapids

Because early VHF symptoms resemble many other illnesses, specialized testing is required.

How VHF Is Diagnosed

  • Blood tests for antibodies
    The immune system produces antibodies tailored to specific viruses. Detecting these antibodies can confirm infection, usually later in the illness.

  • Viral detection tests
    Modern laboratory tests (such as PCR) can detect the virus or its genetic material during the acute phase of illness.

In the United States, suspected VHF cases are managed in close coordination with:

  • Local hospitals (e.g., Corewell Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health)
  • Kent County Health Department
  • Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS)
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Testing is typically performed in high-security reference laboratories, not in routine outpatient clinics.

Treatment of Viral Haemorrhagic Fever

No General Cure or Routine Vaccine

For most viral haemorrhagic fevers:

  • There is no specific cure.
  • There is no widely available, routine vaccine (although vaccines exist or are in development for some, such as Ebola and yellow fever).

Supportive Care

Treatment focuses on supportive care and managing complications:

  • Hospitalisation, often in an intensive care unit (ICU)
  • Strict isolation to prevent spread to others
  • Careful fluid and electrolyte management to prevent dehydration and shock
  • Support for blood pressure, breathing, and organ function
  • Blood products if there is significant bleeding
  • Antiviral medications, if appropriate and available (for example, some antivirals may help with Lassa fever or Ebola)

Grand Rapids hospitals have protocols to rapidly isolate and stabilize any suspected VHF patient while coordinating with state and federal health agencies.

Quarantine and Public Health Measures in the United States

In the U.S., viral haemorrhagic fevers are classified as “quarantinable” diseases by federal law.

If a person entering the United States, including through Michigan, is suspected of having VHF:

  • They may be placed under quarantine in a specialised medical facility.
  • Public health authorities will perform contact tracing to identify and monitor anyone who had close contact with the patient.
  • Local agencies such as the Kent County Health Department and Grand Rapids Public Health resources will work with MDHHS and the CDC to prevent any spread.

These measures are designed to protect the community while ensuring the patient receives appropriate care.

VHF Risk in Grand Rapids and Michigan

For residents of Grand Rapids:

  • Everyday risk of VHF is extremely low.
  • The main concern is for:
    • People traveling to or from regions where VHF is present
    • Healthcare workers and laboratory staff
    • People involved in global health, humanitarian, or military missions

Michigan’s public health system, along with major Grand Rapids health systems, maintains emergency preparedness plans for rare but serious infectious diseases, including VHF.

When to Seek Medical Help

Contact a healthcare provider or seek emergency care in Grand Rapids if:

  • You develop sudden high fever and severe illness, AND
  • You have recently traveled (within the last month) to an area with known Ebola, Lassa, Marburg, CCHF, or other VHF outbreaks, OR
  • You have had close contact with someone diagnosed with or strongly suspected of having VHF.

Always inform the clinic, urgent care center, or hospital before you arrive, so they can take proper infection control precautions.

Local resources include:

  • Your primary care provider or urgent care clinic
  • Corewell Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, and Mercy Health facilities
  • Kent County Health Department for public health guidance

Key Points About Viral Haemorrhagic Fever

  • Viral haemorrhagic fevers are severe, often life-threatening infections caused by several different viruses.
  • Human infection can occur through bites from infected insects or animals, contact with infected body fluids, or accidental inoculation.
  • Symptoms start suddenly, and in severe cases the death rate can reach up to 90%, depending on the virus and care available.
  • A major symptom is bleeding (haemorrhage), along with fever, headache, muscle pain, abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhoea.
  • Antiviral medications may help in some cases, but treatment is mostly supportive, focusing on managing symptoms and complications.
  • VHF viruses are considered quarantinable diseases in the United States, and suspected cases in Grand Rapids would trigger coordinated public health action.
  • For Grand Rapids residents, everyday risk is very low, but travel-related awareness and rapid medical evaluation are critical for early detection and control.