Rift Valley fever: the Nigerian story

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is an arthropod-borne zoonotic disease of livestock. It is characterised by fever, salivation, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, mucopurulent to bloody nasal discharge, abortion, rapid decrease in milk production and death in animals. Infected humans experience an influenza-like illness that is characterised by fever, malaise, headaches, nausea and epigastric pain followed by recovery, although mortality can occur. RVF was thought to be a disease of sub-Saharan Africa but with the outbreaks in Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula, it may be extending its range further afield. Virological and serological evidence indicates that the virus exists in Nigeria and, with the warning signal sent by international organisations to countries in Africa about an impending outbreak, co-ordinated research between veterinarians and physicians in Nigeria is advocated.