A blood test is the only way to confirm a case of Ross River Fever. Several types of blood tests may be used to examine antibody levels in the blood. Tests may either look for simply elevated antibodies (which indicate some sort of infection), or specific antibodies to the virus.[3]
Symptoms of the disease may vary widely in severity, but major indicators are arthralgia, arthritis, fever, and rash.[3] The incubation period is 7–9 days. About a third of infections are asymptomatic, particularly in children.[2][3]
Acute illness[edit] => About 95% of symptomatic cases report joint pain.[2] This is typically symmetrical and with acute onset, affecting the fingers, toes, ankles, wrists, back, knees and elbows.[3] Fatigue occurs in 90% and fever, myalgia and headache occur in 50–60%.[2]
A rash occurs in 50% of patients and is widespread and maculopapular. Lymphadenopathy occurs commonly; sore throat and coryza less frequently. Diarrhea is rare. About 50% of people report needing time off work with the acute illness.[2] If the rash is unnoticed, these symptoms are quite easily mistaken for more common illnesses like influenza or the common cold. Recovery from the flu symptoms is expected within a month, but, because the virus currently cannot be removed once infection has occurred secondary symptoms of joint and muscle inflammation, pain and stiffness can last for many years.
Less common manifestations include splenomegaly, hematuria and glomerulonephritis. Headache, neck stiffness, and photophobia may occur. There have been three case reports suggesting meningitis or encephalitis.
Chronic illness[edit] => Reports from the 1980s and 1990s suggested RRV infection was associated with arthralgia, fatigue and depression lasting for years.[3] More recent prospective studies have reported a steady improvement in symptoms over the first few months, with 15–66% of patients having ongoing arthralgia at 3 months. Arthralgias have resolved in the majority by 5–7 months. The incidence of chronic fatigue is 12% at 6 months and 9% at 12 months, similar to Epstein-Barr virus and Q fever.[2] The only significant predictor of the likelihood of developing chronic symptoms is the severity of the acute illness itself. No other aspects of the patient's medical or psychiatric history have been found to be predictive. However, in those with the most persisting symptoms (12 months or more), comorbid rheumatologic conditions and/or depression are frequently observed .[2]