Signs and Symptoms

The symptoms of CHHF, as reported in the only described patient, resemble those of other South American hemorrhagic fevers, such as Argentine HF or Bolivian HF. The incubation period is unknown, but for Argentine hemorrhagic fever (AHF) is 6 to 16 days.

The CHHF clinical course included:

• fever
• headache
• articulation and muscle pain
• vomiting

These symptoms were followed by deterioration with multiple hemorrhagic signs. The only described CHHF patient died 14 days after onset of symptoms.

Since Arenaviruses may enter the fetus through infection of the mother, and anecdotal evidence suggests that infected pregnant women may suffer miscarriages, it is reasonable to assume that both infection of the fetus and miscarriage may be associated with CHHF infection in the mother.