Profile of Patients Infected with Rift Valley Fever Hospitalized at the Regional Hospital Center of Saint-Louis (Senegal) during the 2025 Epidemic

Abstract

Background: Rift Valley fever (RVF) is an acute viral zoonosis responsible for several epidemics in Senegal. The 2025 epidemic was associated with substantial mortality. Aim:  The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical, therapeutic and outcome-related aspects of patients infected with RVF hospitalized at the Regional Hospital Center (RHC) of Saint-Louis (Senegal). Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study in RVF-infected patients hospitalized at the RHC of Saint-Louis from 13 September to 30 October 2025. Results: Twenty patients were hospitalized for RVF. The median age was 26.5 years [0.02–90 years]. Eleven patients (55%) were men, giving a sex ratio (M/F) of 1.2. The most common occupations were housewives (30%), followed by livestock farmers (20%). The median time from symptom onset to hospitalisation was 6 days [1–13 days].  Fifteen patients (75%) had a severe form of the disease, with haemorrhagic manifestations in 73.3% and neurological manifestations in 60% of severe cases. RT-PCR was positive in all patients (100%). Thrombocytopenia was observed in half of the cases (50%). Blood transfusions were administered in half of the cases (50%). Six deaths were recorded (30%). The factors associated with death were the presence of comorbidities (p=0.03), a serum creatinine level ≥14mg/l (p=0.01), a CRP level ≥12mg/l (p=0.02), a white blood cell count ≥ 9000/ul (p=0.02), a neutrophil count ≥6000/ul (p=0.02), a platelet count <50000/ul (p=0.05), and a serum potassium level ≥4 meq/l (p=0.05). Conclusion: In this hospitalized cohort, RVF predominantly affected young male patients and was associated with a high case fatality proportion and frequent haemorrhagic and neurological manifestations.