Rift valley fever physical examination

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Aakash Hans, MD[2]

Physical examination is used to measure the temperature and blood pressure of the person reporting with symptoms of fever and weakness. A full body examination is used to assess and note symptoms which may be helpful in spotting signs of complications of Rift valley fever. Special attention should be paid to abdominal examination as RVF commonly involves pain in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen.

• Common physical finding include fever and low blood pressure.^[1]
• Findings of decreased vision, retinitis, uveitis and altered visual acuity should point towards ophthalmic involvement.
• Findings of jaundice, bleeding from mucosal sites (gums), hematuria, hemoptysis, bloody stools and body rash should indicate hemorrhagic complications of RVF.
• Disorientation, decreased reflexes and paralysis point towards CNS involvement of RVF.

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  Photograph depicts aborted fetal ruminant necropsy, revealing numerous hemorrhages, and a hemothorax (blood within the thoracic cavity). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]

• https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/rvf/

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