Rift Valley Fever (RVF)

Man walking with a herd of cows

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a viral disease most commonly seen in domesticated animals in sub-Saharan Africa, such as cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, and camels. People can get RVF through contact with blood, body fluids, or tissues of infected animals, or through bites from infected mosquitoes. The virus spreading from person to person has not been documented.

Although RVF often causes severe illness in animals, most people with RVF have either no symptoms or a mild illness with fever, weakness, back pain, and dizziness. A small percentage (8-10%) of people with RVF develop more severe symptoms, including eye disease, hemorrhage (excessive bleeding), and encephalitis (swelling of the brain).