ROSS RIVER VIRUS - RRV

(Epidemic Polyarthritis - EPA)

Disease stages

Common Symptoms

Other Symptoms

Long Term Affects

Treatment

The Personal, Family, Social and Economic Impacts of Ross River Virus - EPA

Research

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Diagnosis

The disease usually develops within 2 days to 3 weeks after being bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus.  The common symptoms of the disease are similar to many other conditions so diagnosis can be difficult.  A Laboratory  diagnosis is   required and it is a simple blood test.  If you should have many of the common symptoms (particularly, in summer or early autumn or after heavy rain) then request a test.  If you feel you may have had the virus previously and are currently or have previously had a reoccurrence get it checked out.  You do not have to be in the initial acute infection stage for the disease to be identified.  It may also be wise to get checked out for Barmah Forest Virus (BFV) at the same time as it has similar symptoms and is also carried by mosquitoes.

Stages of the disease

It is a disease that has two stages, the first  an initial acute infection and the second stage is the chronic stage.

• The initial acute infection stage can last from days to 9-12 months and could go even longer.  There appears to be some relationship between the length and severity of the initial acute infection to the length and severity of the chronic stage of the disease.
• The chronic stage  periodically  produces another acute infection although usually not with all the symptoms of the initial acute infection.  The length of time the chronic stage lasts in unknown.  However, I know of cases who have had the chronic stage for at least 20 years.  There appears to be no consistent time period for reoccurences and these can range from every  4-6 weeks for several years to 3 monthly or even yearly.  However, the reoccurences eventually, get further apart.   The length of the reoccurence can range from 1-2 days to 3-4 months.
• Note: the fact that someone has had RRV does not mean you are immune from other attacks. I know of some who have had it twice, one who was told had a different strain

Common Symptoms

Those symptoms listed as common are those usually seen in medical handouts and from researching universities and other health related organisations.

• A form of arthritis with pain, tenderness and swelling in the joints.  The joints most commonly affected are wrists, fingers, knees, ankles and toes.  However, not all of these are always affected.
• It is often accompanied with headaches and tiredness.
• A rash may break out on any part of the body but most commonly on the abdomen, chest, back arms and legs.  Not all RRV sufferers develop a rash.
• Fever or chilly sensations (usually slight or absent) and a general feeling of being unwell.

Less Recognised Symptoms

The symptoms listed below are ones that have been experienced by sufferers.   However, most people infected with Ross River Virus will only get some of them.   They are symptoms rarely mentioned from any of the groups mentioned in the above list or any any literature provided to patients.  However, they are symptoms described by sufferers when talking to another sufferer.  (Where I have listed this is rare it is because I have not heard of very many cases with these symptoms.)

• Pain in all joints of the body including elbows, shoulders, hips, hands, fingers, feet, toes and spine.  The pain can be excruciating, severe enough to make you  nauseous and it can also be a burning pain as if blood is boiling or hot ice is being rubbed over the joints. Any joints that have previously been injured are very likely to be affected. (It is rare for the spinal joints to be affected.)
• A cough is often present but just occasionally during the day and often flu type symptoms.
• Chronic Fatigue or Exhaustion.This can be severe,small movements can cause you to sleep for hours at a time, or exhaustion has you sleeping for several days.
• Disturbed sleep patterns
• Depression
• Pain in the muscles.
• Stiff Necks
• Mood swings
• Panic attacks
• Poor memory (particularly when experiencing severe pain).
• Fever can be very severe (feel as if you will burn up) with heavy sweating and chills for several hours at a time usually at night but not always.
• Redness around imflamed joints.  The redness looks like a bad burn and the joint feels hot to the touch.
• Swollen joints, this is particularly noticed in the hands. At times they can be so swollen one cannot hold a cup, cutlery or even a pencil in the hands.
• Heart palpatations
• Burning of the eyes (particularly during high fever)
• Males' testicle may feel hot and/or have a crawling sensation (particularly at night)(This is rare)
• Temporary blurring of the eyes to blindness lasting up to at least half an hour, usually occuring after sleep (This is rare)
• Blisters on the inside cheeks of the mouth they burst and leave raw area. This can last for months if the illness is severe. (This is rare.)
• Pain in the feet so that it is difficult to walk, this often occurs on rising of a morning or after sitting down for some time. It can be a pins and needles effect.
• It causes a break down in the immune symptom so more susceptible to other illnesses.
• Possible complement 3 deficiency (see Case 4)
• Possible changes to lymphoid tissue, blood and lymph. Two many classes of B and T lymphocytes may be active in the immune response. (see Case 5 )

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