Lassa Fever: Cause, Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention.
Lassa fever or Lassa hemorrhagic fever (LHF) is an acute viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus and first described in 1969 in Lassa town, Borno State, Nigeria. It often occurs in dry season, rather than in the rainy season.
The primary animal host of the Lassa virus is the Natal multimammate mouse / rat (Mastomys natalensis), a rodent found in most sub-Saharan African countries.
TRANSMISSION OF LASSA FEVER
- Transmission of Lassa virus to humans occurs most commonly through ingestion or inhalation. Mastomys rodents shed the virus in urine and droppings and direct contact with these materials, through touching soiled objects, eating contaminated food, or exposure to open cuts or sores, can lead to infection.
- Mastomys rodents are sometimes consumed as a food source and infection may occur when rodents are caught and prepared. Contact with the virus may also occur when a person inhales tiny particles in the air contaminated with infected rodent excretions. This aerosol or airborne transmission may occur during cleaning activities, such as sweeping.
- Person-to-person transmission may occur after exposure to virus in the blood, tissue, secretions, or excretions of a Lassa virus-infected individual. Casual contact (including skin-to-skin contact without exchange of body fluids) does not spread Lassa virus. Person-to-person transmission is common in health care settings (called nosocomial transmission) where proper personal protective equipment (PPE) is not available or not used.
- Lassa virus may be spread in contaminated medical equipment, such as reused needles.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS PF LASSA FEVER
Lassa fever symptoms usually shows between 5 to 21 days after the patient comes into contact with the virus.
According to the CDC.gov, mild symptoms of Lassa fever include slight fever, general malaise and weakness, and headache. However, the 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.
The most common complication of Lassa fever is deafness. Various degrees of deafness occur in approximately one-third of infections, and in many cases hearing loss is permanent. As far as is known, severity of the disease does not affect this complication: deafness may develop in mild as well as in severe cases.
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.
PREVENTION OF LASSA FEVER
Transmission of the Lassa virus from its host to humans can be prevented by avoiding contact with Mastomys rodents, especially in the geographic regions where outbreaks occur. Putting food away in rodent-proof containers and keeping the home clean help to discourage rodents from entering homes. Using these rodents as a food source is not recommended.
Trapping in and around homes can help reduce rodent populations; however, the wide distribution of Mastomys in Africa makes complete control of this rodent reservoir impractical.
When caring for patients with Lassa fever, further transmission of the disease through person-to-person contact or nosocomial routes can be avoided by taking preventive precautions against contact with patient secretions (called VHF isolation precautions or barrier nursing methods).
Such precautions include wearing protective clothing, such as masks, gloves, gowns, and goggles; using infection control measures, such as complete equipment sterilization; and isolating infected patients from contact with unprotected persons until the disease has run its course.
In case of any suspected case of Lassa Fever, report to any Hospital or Medical Centre around you immediately.
NOTE: ALL ITEMS THAT HAVE HAD POSSIBLE CONTACT WITH A CASE OF LASSA FEVER MUST BE THOROUGHLY DISINFECTED BEFORE REPEATED USE.
Stay Safe!
