Rift Valley fever is a viral zoonotic disease that mainly infects
animals, but can also infect humans. Transmission of the
disease occurs via mosquito bites. The disease is most severe in
animals, where it has high mortality rates (~70 - 100%) in
newborn ruminants, especially sheep and goats, and abortion in
pregnant animals. Other pathologies in animals include fatal
hemorrhagic fever, fetal malformation, encephalitis, ocular disease
and hepatitis. In humans, the disease is normally mild. In rare
cases, the disease is severe, causing neurological disorders,
partial or complete blindness, hemorrhagic fever, or thrombosis. No
human-to-human contact has been reported.
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