Kyasanur Forest Disease

May 4, 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the devastating impact of zoonotic diseases, which can transmit from animals to humans. Efforts to break the chain of transmission from wildlife to humans often receive inadequate attention, and the scientific rigour to implement them is lacking. Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), also known as monkey fever, is one such zoonotic illness, where spillover events have increased, resulting in recurring outbreaks.

Origins and Spread

KFD, a haemorrhagic fever borne by the tick, Haemaphysalis spinigera, is named after Kyasanur forest in the Western Ghats, where it originated. Researchers believe that the disease was endemic to the forests of the Western Ghats for centuries, circulating silently among primates and ticks. However, KFD was first identified in 1957 after an outbreak in a Kyasanur forest village in Shivamogga district of Karnataka.

Although outbreaks have remained largely confined to the area, the disease has spread to other Indian states in recent decades. Tamil Nadu and Kerala reported KFD for the first time in 2013, followed by Goa in 2015 and Maharashtra in 2016. As per a 2019 study published in the journal GeoHealth, India records 400-500 KFD cases annually.

The Reason behind Increasing KFD Cases

One of the reasons behind the increasing cases of KFD is the growing conflicts between humans and monkeys, particularly the bonnet macaque (Macaca radiata), which is highly susceptible to the KFD virus. Shivamogga district, which has a high population of bonnet macaques, reports some of the highest instances of monkey raids on agricultural fields and villages. Farmers often protest and demand that the government either control the macaques or provide them compensation for the damage caused.

Government Plans to Address the Monkey Menace

To address the monkey menace, the government allocated Rs 6.25 crore in 2020-21, including plans to set up “monkey parks” or rehabilitation centers in forests. However, this proposal faced opposition from communities and environmentalists, who feared that it would trigger KFD in the surrounding areas. In 2022, taking a cue from Himachal Pradesh, the Karnataka forest department planned to sterilize the macaques. However, the plan faced criticism from several quarters because of ethical concerns and is yet to be implemented.

Root Cause of Human-Macaque Conflicts and KFD Outbreaks

According to researchers from the University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology (TDU), Bengaluru, habitat loss is the root cause of the increase in human-macaque conflicts as well as KFD outbreaks. The study found that almost 90% of households in Shivamogga, which reported conflicts with macaques, were surrounded by monoculture plantations or degraded forests, where native fruit-bearing species had declined. Areas where forests were damaged had the greatest occurrence of KFD and density of ticks.

A Solution to Mitigate the Situation

Ecological restoration of degraded forests by reconnecting wildlife corridors and forest fragments seems to be the only sustainable and ethical solution to mitigate the situation. Mature trees can be periodically removed in patches, and native fruit trees can be planted to restore the habitat. With time, entire plantations can be converted into native forests, addressing the problems of macaque conflict and KFD. However, the government must also take the opposition of local communities and environmentalists into account while making policy decisions.

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