LASSA FEVER – FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Barely 2 years after the Ebola scourge, Nigerians are again confronted with another deadly disease - Lassa fever. Lassa fever is an acute viral illness that occurs in West Africa. The illness was discovered in 1969 when two missionary nurses died in Borno State, Nigeria, West Africa. The cause of the illness was found to be Lassa virus, named after the town in Nigeria where the first cases originated. According to reports, the affected areas in Nigeria primarily are Bauchi, Nassarawa, Taraba, Niger, Edo, Rivers, Plateau, Gombe and Oyo state. People particularly dread this disease because its primary host is the Mastomys Rodent or simply put- the mouse, an animal which is very common in Nigeria and most of sub- Saharan Africa, ubiquitous in many households and even eaten as delicacies by some people.

A Mastomys Rodent

We have thus chosen this topic to write about, to demystify the dreaded Lassa fever. We need to arm ourselves with facts, early recognition of symptoms and preventive measures.

FACTS

Lassa fever is transmitted to humans by mice through its urine and excrement or even dispersed gas, typically through inhalation of contaminated air.

Human to human transmission has also been established through contact with blood and wastes from an infected person.

SYMPTOMS

Symptoms include fever, facial swelling, and muscle fatigue, as well as conjunctivitis and mucosal bleeding. The other symptoms arising from the affected organs are:

·         Nausea

·         Vomiting (bloody)

·         Diarrhea (bloody)

·         Stomach ache

·         Constipation

·         Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)

·         Hypertension

·         Abnormally high heart rate)

·         Cough

·         Chest pain

·         Unilateral or bilateral hearing deficit

·         Seizures

Lassa fever has been mistaken for Ebola or acute malaria and typhoid in some cases due to similar symptoms. 

PREVENTIVE MEASURES/TREATMENT

1.      High level of hygiene. Our environment should be kept clean as rodents thrive in dirty environments.

2.      Always wash your hands thoroughly. Wash, wash, wash…

3.      Symptoms should be reported early, as early diagnosis and treatment with Ribavirin could reduce or even eradicate mortality chances.

4.      Infected individuals should be isolated.

It is to be noted that about 15-20% of hospitalized Lassa fever patients will die from the illness. The overall mortality rate is estimated to be 1%, but during epidemics, mortality can climb as high as 50%. The mortality rate is greater than 80% when it occurs in pregnant women during their third trimester; fetal death also occurs in nearly all those cases. Abortion decreases the risk of death to the mother. Some survivors experience lasting effects of the disease.

Due to the grim consequences of this disease, it is important that we do all we can to prevent it.

Information is Key! Knowledge is power!