LASSA FEVER: 11 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE KILLER DISEASE

– Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by Lassa virus and it is transmitted to humans from contacts with food or household items contaminated with rodent excreta.

– Lassa frequently infects people in West Africa as it results in 300,000 to 500,000 cases annually and causes about 5,000 deaths each year.

– The primary animal host of the Lassa virus is the Natal multimammate mouse, an animal mostly found in sub Saharan Africa.

– After an incubation period of six to 21 days, an acute illness with multiorgan involvement develops as it affects  several organs such as the liver, spleen and kidneys.

– Nonspecific symptoms include fever, facial swelling, and muscle fatigue, as well as conjunctivitis and mucosal bleeding.

– Lassa virus is zoonotic, that is, it is transmitted from animals, in that it spreads to humans from rodents, specifically multimammate rats.

– Infection in humans typically occurs by exposure to animal excrement through the respiratory or gastrointestinal tracts.

– Transmission from person to person has also been established, presenting a disease risk for healthcare workers.

– Ensure to keep rodents out of homes and food supplies, as well as maintaining effective personal hygiene. Store grain and other foodstuffs in rodent-proof containers, disposing of garbage far from the home and maintaining clean households

– All persons suspected of Lassa fever infection should be admitted to isolation facilities and their body fluids and excreta properly disposed of.

– The overall mortality rate is estimated to be 1%, but during epidemics, mortality can climb as high as 50%.

If you didn’t know, now you know!!!