What is Lassa fever in Nigeria?
What is Lassa fever in Nigeria?
Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic fever that is usually transmitted to humans from the infected urine or feces of the Mastomys rat. Human-to-human transmission is also possible, via contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person.
What is the treatment for Lassa fever?
What is the treatment for Lassa fever? Ribavirin given intravenously and early in the course of illness is an effective treatment, in addition to support of fluid and electrolytes, oxygenation, and blood pressure.
What is the course of Lassa fever?
The incubation period of Lassa fever ranges from 6–21 days. The onset of the disease, when it is symptomatic, is usually gradual, starting with fever, general weakness, and malaise. After a few days, headache, sore throat, muscle pain, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, cough, and abdominal pain may follow.
Who discovered 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 Nigeria.
What are the symptoms of Lassa?
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.
What causes Lassa virus?
Humans usually become infected with Lassa virus through exposure to food or household items contaminated with urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats. The disease is endemic in the rodent population in parts of West Africa.
How long can Lassa virus survive outside the body?
SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: The virus is stable as an aerosol, particularly at low relative humidity (30 % RH). The biological half-live at both 24°C and 32°C ranges from 10.1 to 54.6 minutes(20).
How is Lassa virus prevented?
Primary 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.
Is Lassa fever curable?
Lassa fever is a rodent-borne zoonosis that clinically manifests as an acute hemorrhagic fever. It is treated using ribavarin. Surviving Lassa fever without receiving the antiviral drug ribavarin is rare. Only few cases have been documented to date.
Which type of rat causes Lassa fever?
The reservoir, or host, of Lassa virus is a rodent known as the “multimammate rat” (Mastomys natalensis). Once infected, this rodent is able to excrete virus in urine for an extended time period, maybe for the rest of its life.
Where is Lassa virus most common?
Lassa fever is an animal-borne, or zoonotic, acute viral illness. It is endemic in parts of West Africa including Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Nigeria. Neighboring countries are also at risk, as the animal vector for Lassa virus, the “multimammate rat” (Mastomys natalensis) is distributed throughout the region.
Where is Lassa fever found?
What is Lassa fever in Nigeria? Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic fever that is usually transmitted to humans from the infected urine or feces of the Mastomys rat. Human-to-human transmission is also possible, via contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. What is the treatment for Lassa fever? What is the…