Patient description: The patient is a 55 year old man visiting his primary care physician for lower urinary tract symptoms including frequency, urgency, weak stream, incomplete emptying and intermittent flow for the past 9 months. Further evaluation revealed: IPSS score : 15 Post-void residual: 70 mL Prostate volume (TRUS): 60 mL Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level: 3.2 ng/mL 10 mL/sec of maximum flow rate when urine volume was 130 mL He is otherwise healthy only using Vit D 1000 units daily. His recent blood chemistry (3 days ago) was normal: Hgb: 13.5 g/dl WBC: 135000 /mm3 Plt: 350000 /ml PT: 11 second PTT: 35 second INR: 0.9 Creatinine: 0.5 mg/dl BUN: 10 mg/dl U/A: Color: yellow Appearance: cloudy PH: 5.3 Specific gravity: 1.010 Glc: 100 Nitrite: negative Ketone: none Leukocyte esterase: negative RBC: negative WBC: 2 WBCs/hpf U/C: negative

Clinical trial eligibility criteria: eligible ages (years): 17.0-65.0,  Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Lassa Fever An individual will be enrolled in this study if the patient Meets the case definition for a probable or a suspected case of CCHF or LF (see below) Has read and signed the Informed Consent Is at least 18 years of age (17, if active military) and not greater than 65 years of age Has a blood sample drawn and a type and cross-match ordered for transfusion Agrees to collection of required specimens Agrees to report any Adverse Events, Serious and Unexpected Adverse Events for the duration of the study Agrees to a follow-up visit and to donate blood and urine specimens at day 14 (±2 days) and once between days 28 and 60 after the first dose of IV Ribavirin and to all follow-up visits for anemia or other medical conditions as required by the attending physician Woman of childbearing age must have a pregnancy test performed. If negative, she must agree not to become pregnant during treatment and for 7 months after receiving Ribavirin. She also must agree to not breast feed during treatment and for 7 months after receiving Ribavirin. Two reliable forms of effective contraception must be used including one barrier method during treatment and during the 7 month post-treatment period. She will be counseled concerning the risks of IV Ribavirin versus no treatment if the pregnancy test is positive Man agrees not to have intercourse with pregnant woman during treatment and for 7 months after receiving Ribavirin, and take precautions to avoid producing pregnancies during treatment and for 7 months after receiving Ribavirin. At least two reliable forms of effective contraception must be used including one barrier method during treatment and during the 7 month post-treatment period to avoid a pregnancy  Has known intolerance to Ribavirin Is irreversibly ill on presentation, as defined by presence of profound shock (shock which does not respond to supportive therapy within 3 hours after admission) Has hemoglobin less than 10 g/dL that cannot be corrected to 10 g/dL before initiation of IV Ribavirin Has history of hemoglobinopathies (i.e., sickle-cell anemia or thalassemia major) Has history of autoimmune hepatitis Has a calculated serum creatinine clearance of < 30 mL/min History of such as second or third degree heart block or sick sinus syndrome and without a pacemaker and no capability of a pacemaker placement or Wolfe-Parkinson-White Syndrome A sinus bradycardia of less than 40 beats per minute Is currently being treated with Didanosine (ddI). ddI must be discontinued before starting IV Ribavirin. Relative At the principal investigator's (PI) discretion, an individual may be treated with IV Ribavirin, with caution, if one of these is present