LASSA FEVER

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Background Of Lassa Fever 🤒

Though first described in the 1950s, the virus causing Lassa disease was not identified until 1969. The virus is a single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the virus family Arenaviridae.

Lassa fever is a zoonotic disease, meaning that humans become infected from contact with infected animals. The animal reservoir, or host, of Lassa virus is a rodent of the genus Mastomys, commonly known as the “multimammate rat.”

Mastomys rats infected with Lassa virus do not become ill, but they can shed the virus in their urine and faeces.

About 80% of people who become infected with Lassa virus have no symptoms. 1 in 5 infections result in severe disease, where the virus affects several organs such as the liver, spleen and kidneys.

Lassa fever is known to be endemic in Benin (where it was diagnosed for the first time in November 2014), Ghana (diagnosed for the first time in October 2011), Guinea, Liberia, Mali (diagnosed for the first time in February 2009), Sierra Leone, and Nigeria, but probably exists in other West African countries as well.

The Signs and Symptoms Of Lassa Fever 🤒

Signs and symptoms of Lassa fever typically occur 1-3 weeks after the patient comes into contact with the virus. For the majority of Lassa fever virus infections (approximately 80%), symptoms are mild and are undiagnosed. Mild symptoms include slight fever, general malaise and weakness, and headache.
In 20% of infected individuals, however, disease may progress to more serious symptoms including

• hemorrhaging (in gums, eyes, or nose, as examples),
• respiratory distress,
• repeated vomiting,
• facial swelling,
• pain in the chest, back, and abdomen, and shock.

Neurological problems have also been described, including hearing loss, tremors, and encephalitis. Death may occur within two weeks after symptom onset due to multi-organ failure.

Approximately 15%-20% of patients hospitalized for Lassa fever die from the illness. However, only 1% of all Lassa virus infections result in death. The death rates for women in the third trimester of pregnancy are particularly high. Spontaneous abortion is a serious complication of infection with an estimated 95% mortality in fetuses of infected pregnant mothers.

TREATMENT

Ribavirin, an antiviral drug, has been used with success in Lassa fever patients. It has been shown to be most effective when given early in the course of the illness. Patients should also receive supportive care consisting of maintenance of appropriate fluid and electrolyte balance, oxygenation and blood pressure, as well as treatment of any other complicating infections.

Prevention/ How To Knock-out Lassa Fever

There are several ways it can be prevented.
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• Trapping in and around homes can help reduce rodent populations.

• Prevent and avoid rodents living in your homes and surroundings.

• Keep your house and Environment clean so as to help to discourage rodents from entering homes.

• Cover all foods and water properly, Store foodstuffs in rodent proof containers

• Cook all foods thoroughly

• Block all rat hideout

• If you suspect that rat has eaten any food, discard it

• Stop eating and consumption of Rats

• Keep cats away

When caring for infected persons , careful measures should be observed so as to avoid person-to-person contact. Measures such as ;

wearing protective clothing, such as masks, gloves, gowns, and goggles

• using infection control measures, such as complete equipment sterilization;

• isolating infected patients from contact with unprotected persons until the disease has run its course.

• Awareness and educating people who live in high-risk areas about concern and effects of this virus.

• The availability of the only known drug treatment, ribavirin should be increased

• Isolating infected patients from contact with unprotected persons until the disease has run its course.

DISCLAIMER

NOT ALL THIS ARTICLE WAS COMPOSED BY ME, I ALSO DID RESEARCH ABOUT IT. WHICH THE LINKS ARE LISTED BELOW
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs179/en/

https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/lassa/treatment/index.html

http://www.evatese.com/lassa-fever-causes-symptoms-and-prevention/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S003592030900234X

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Lassa Fever is a very Wide Topic Which I tried as much as possible to shorten it but, am sorry my words are little more than 350

WORD COUNT: My article+Researched= 600+

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