Hemorrhagic Fevers - Prevention

The best way to prevent hemorrhagic fevers is to eliminate the vectors that carry the diseases. For example, efforts have been made to wipe out mosquito or rodent populations in some areas. These efforts are sometimes successful in big cities in developed nations. They are less successful in large rural areas in developing nations. In these cases, the best hope may be personal protection. People should use mosquito netting, insect repellents, and other devices to protect themselves against vectors.

Vaccines have also been developed against some hemorrhagic fevers, including yellow fever, Argentinean hemorrhagic fever, and Crimean-Congo fever. People who plan to travel in areas where these diseases occur should

Medical workers take extra precautions at the quarantined site of an ebola outbreak in Gozon, on the Ivory Coast. (Reproduced by permission of

AP/Wide World Photos

)

be vaccinated against them. The vaccines are costly, however, and many local populations cannot afford them.