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According to WHO, Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness of 2-21 days duration that occurs in West Africa.
Even as the Coronavirus crisis is not yet over, another fever-related disease has emerged that is spreading rapidly. In the times to come, this disease can pose a new challenge to the world. People in Nigeria are getting infected rapidly with Lassa Fever and experts are of the opinion that if the outbreak of Lassa fever increases amid the Covid-19 pandemic, it could become difficult for countries, including Nigeria to contain the situation.
What is the Lassa fever?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness of 2-21 days duration that occurs in West Africa. It is an animal-borne, or zoonotic, acute viral illness, mentions United States' Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
How is it transmitted?
The Lassa virus is transmitted to humans via contact with food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or faeces, says WHO.
Is human-to-human transmission possible?
Yes. WHO mentions that person-to-person infections and laboratory transmission can also occur, particularly in hospitals lacking adequate infection prevention and control measures.
DNA Explainer: What is Lassa fever which has sparked concern, how worried should we be
What are the symptoms?
Most of those who were infected with Lassa fever show no to mild symptoms but about a fifth develop serious complications, such as respiratory distress, tremors, brain inflammation and multi-organ failure, which lead to death.
Hearing loss occurs in a third of all cases.
"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. In severe cases, facial swelling, fluid in the lung cavity, bleeding from the mouth, nose, vagina or gastrointestinal tract and low blood pressure may develop," the World Health Organization website quotes.
Is Lassa fever fatal?
The overall case-fatality rate from Lassa is 1%. The observed case-fatality rate among patients hospitalized with severe cases of Lassa fever is 15%, says WHO, which also adds that early supportive care with rehydration and symptomatic treatment improves survival. Lassa fever is considered an endemic in Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria, but probably exists in other West African countries as well.
What are the treatments?
The antiviral drug ribavirin is considered an effective treatment for Lassa fever if given early on in the course of clinical illness. There is no evidence to support the role of ribavirin as post-exposure prophylactic treatment for Lassa fever, says WHO. There is currently no vaccine that protects against Lassa fever.
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