Assessment of patients with suspected viral haemorrhagic fever

We reviewed our two-year (1967-7) experience of patients who might have had an African-derived haemorrhagic fever: only two out of 46 suspects had such infections, and these were successfully contained. Malaria was the most frequent diagnosis in these patients recently returned from Africa, especially if malarial prophylaxis had been inadequate. Altogether 26% of patients had become ill before travelling to Britain. It is impossible to ensure absolute safety even with draconian measures, but the degree of isolation recommended (based on epidemiological factors that included return from Africa within the previous three weeks, visiting country districts, exposure to possible cases, or infected material and illness despite adequate malarial prophylaxis) has proved effective and acceptable.