VHF - a group of illnesses caused by a viral infection (usually restricted to a specific geographic area); fever and gastrointestinal symptoms are followed by capillary hemorrhageEbola, Ebola fever, Ebola hemorrhagic fever - a severe and often fatal disease in humans and nonhuman primates (monkeys and chimpanzees) caused by the Ebola virus; characterized by high fever and severe internal bleeding; can be spread from person to person; is largely limited to Africa Lassa fever - an acute contagious viral disease of central western Africa; characterized by fever and inflammation and muscular pains and difficulty swallowing; can be used as a bioweapon Rift Valley fever - an infection common in Africa caused by a bunyavirus; transmitted by mosquitoes or by handling infected animals |