News Excerpt: 

Veterinarians found carcasses of over 28 monkeys in Karnaraka's Sullia and samples were sent for testing Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD).

More about the news:

• The post-mortem has been conducted and samples have been sent to the Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biological in Bengaluru and the Forensic Science Laboratory for testing to rule out the KFD. 
• Whenever monkeys are found dead, the department collects samples for testing to rule out the KFD.

About Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD):

• Kyasanur Forest disease (KFD) is a rare tick-borne zoonotic disease caused by Kyasanur Forest Disease Virus (KFDV), a member of the virus family Flaviviridae. 
• KFDV was identified in 1957 when it was isolated from a sick monkey in the Kyasanur Forest in Karnataka (formerly Mysore) State, India. 
• Hard ticks (Hemaphysalis spinigera) are the reservoir of the KFD virus and once infected, remain so for life. 
• Rodents, shrews, and monkeys are common hosts for KFDV after being bitten by an infected tick. 
• Transmission to humans may occur after a tick bite or contact with an infected animal, most importantly a sick or recently dead monkey. No person-to-person transmission has been described.
• KFD is a highly contagious disease that causes febrile hemorrhagic illness in humans and monkeys, especially in the forest.
• KFDV can cause epizootics with high fatality in primates.

KFD in India:

• In 1957, KFD was first reported from Shivamogga. 
• Since the first report, the disease was reported only from the district for about 17 years, until 1973. 
• Subsequently, KFD cases were reported from Shivamogga and Uttara Kannada for the next six years. 
• Until 2012, sporadic cases of KFD were reported from the Shivamogga, Uttara Kannada, Chikmagalur, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and Chamarajanagar districts of Karnataka. 
• From 2012 onwards, KFD was confirmed in the Nilgiris and Wayanad districts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, respectively. 
• During 2016–2017, KFD was reported in Maharashtra and Goa.

Prelims PYQ

Q. Consider the following statements:

1. In tropical regions, Zika virus disease is transmitted by the same mosquito that transmits dengue. (UPSC 2017)
2. Sexual transmission of Zika virus disease is possible.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2 

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Q. H1N1 virus is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to which one of the following diseases?(UPSC 2015)

1. AIDS
2. Bird Flu
3. Dengue
4. Swine Flu