Lassa fever, which is also known as Lassa hemorrhagic fever ( LHF ), is a type of viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus, it is a viral disease carried by the multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis). Its symptoms are varied and it can sometimes be fatal.
Most people infected by the virus do not get any signs or symtoms and these have affected a number of African countries, if at all symptoms occurs it includes vomiting, headache, fever, muscular pains, in some cases bleeding from the mouth.
Death risk once infection occurs is about a percent and takes place within 14 days of symptoms signs.
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The disease is most times gotten by contact with urine or feces of an infected rat, multimammate rat to be specific.Once a Mastomys rat is infected, it can spread the virus in its urine, all through its life.It is also possible to contact it through person to person through blood, secretion, excretion but cannot occur via touch.
Signs and symptoms : 80% of this cases shows no symptoms 20% cases have a worst case scenario, the virus is responsible for 5000 deaths annually and one-third of the death rate in the hospital is also as a result of the fever.
Other symptoms also include:
vomiting, diarrhea, stomach ache, constipation, difficulty in swallowing, hepatitis, hypertension and so many others.
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Solutions/Prevention: So far there's no really proven cure/vaccines.
The antiviral drug ribavirin has been proven useful in fighting against Lassa virus, however its action is still subjected to debate.
World Health Organization has adviced people living around areas where this disease is a threat to avoid blood and bodily fluid when taking care of affected victims.
Also effective hygiene should be maintained, storing foods in rodent proof containers to avoid contacts, gloves, masks and lab coats should be used when attending to a victim.
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