Rift Valley fever

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is the most important vector-borne viral zoonosis in Africa. It is transmitted by mosquitoes and can cause severe clinical symptoms in humans and ruminants. RVF outbreaks in livestock cause abortions in pregnant ewes and high mortality rates in young animals. The disease in humans is most commonly a self-limited influenza-like syndrome. However, in severe cases RVF can lead to hepatitis, retinitis, meningo-encephalitis, signs of hemorrhages and death. The recent introduction of this member of the Bunyavirideae into the Arabian Peninsula has raised concerns about the possible spread of RVFV throughout Southern Europe.

At the CVR we work to understand molecular mechanisms of the virus life cycle, pathogenesis and spread to help the development of new antivirals to combat this disease.

Contact: Alain Kohl and Ben Brennan

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Fluorescently labelled RVF viral proteins in kidney cells, viewed by confocal microscopy