Latin American hemorrhagic fever.

Several viral and bacterial agents are responsible for hemorrhagic fever in Latin America, but there are three agents that are only present in this region: (1) the Junin virus, (2) the Machupo virus, and (3) the Guanaritovirus, members of the Tacaribe complex of the family Arenaviridae and responsible for the Argentinian, Bolivian, and Venezuelan hemorrhagic fever. The clinical manifestations of hemorrhagic fever are similar for the three viruses, mainly myalgia, arthralgia, headache, relative bradycardia, conjunctivitis, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and hemorrhagic disorders. In this article, the three viruses, their causes, and manifestations are discussed.