LASSA FEVER: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE DISEASE

INTRODUCTION
Lassa fever was first described in the 1950s but was identified in 1969. As the name imply the disease was first discovered in a community called Lassa, in Bornu State, Nigeria. It is a haemorrhagic (bleeding) fever that is similar to Ebola, but caused by the lassa virus being transmitted by multi-mammate rats called Mastomys natalensis. The rats are called “multi-mammate” because they have more breasts than other house rats. The virus is widespread in West Africa: particularly in Benin, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. Lassa fever is deadly if not cured at its early stage. It is associated with dirty and over-populated environments.
EARLY SYMPTOMS

• High fever
• General body weakness
• Sore throats
• Cough
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Proteinurea
• Back pains
• Tremor

LATE SYMPTOMS

• Bleeding from the nose, mouth, lungs, vagina, skin, intestine etc.
• Rashes
• Swellings of the eyes, face and genitalia
• Red/pink eyes
• Hearing lose (in about 25% cases)
• Encephalitis (inflammation of the brain cells)
• Low blood pressure

TRANSMISSION/PROGNOSIS

• Contact with the urine, faeces, and blood of an infected multimammate rats (rodents)
• Human to human transmission: contact with an infected person
• Contact with an infected hospital equipment
• Non professional burial rights of a lassa fever body

INCUBATION PERIOD
6 – 21 Days
PREVENTION

• Kill all rats within or around the house and block their access points into the house
• Improve on personal and domestic hygiene in and around the house
• Store food items in sealed containers not accessible to rodents
• Dispose all garbage (dust bin) in time and far away from home
• Avoid unprotected contacts with bodily fluids of sick patients of unknown cause
• Rigorous contact tracings are necessary in endemic areas.
• Safe injection and burial practice
• Basic hand hygiene, hand wash, or using hand sanitizers
• Use of personal protective equipment’s in a vulnerable area

TREATMENT

• Early supportive care with rehydration
• Symptomatic treatment
• Ribavirin 200mg

AFFECTED STATES

• Bauchi
• Gombe
• Delta
• Plateau
• Rivers

LASSA FEVER CALL CENTERS
08031571667
08093810105
08031571667
08163215251
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