Overview

Viral hemorrhagic (hem-uh-RAJ-ik) fevers are infectious diseases that can cause severe, life-threatening illness. They can damage the walls of tiny blood vessels, making them leak, and can hamper the blood's ability to clot. The resulting internal bleeding is usually not life-threatening, but the diseases can be.

Some viral hemorrhagic fevers include:

• Dengue
• Ebola
• Lassa
• Marburg
• Yellow fever

These diseases most commonly occur in tropical areas. In the United States, people who get them usually have recently traveled to one of those areas.

There's no cure for viral hemorrhagic fevers. There are vaccines for only a few types. Until additional vaccines are developed, the best approach is prevention.