Hemorrhagic Fever

In many cases, the rising incidence of hemorrhagic fever outbreaks may be directly related to human activities. The cutting of rain forests in South America is bringing mosquitoes infected with yellow fever virus down from the treetops to where people live and work. Explosive population growth in Latin America, accompanied by poor sanitation and housing, is increasing the habitat for the reservoir hosts of mosquito-borne viruses. The use of broadleaf herbicides in corn fields in Argentina is leading to the dominance of the grass-loving rodent that carries Junín virus and presents a deadly risk to farm workers. The discovery of diamonds in the West African country of Sierra Leone has led to the development of housing compounds for thousands of immigrant workers and their families. The rodent that carries Lassa virus thrives in this habitat with its new source of food and shelter.