The Staggering Success of Vaccines
Lassa Fever: What You Need To Know To Stay Safe And Healthy
Lassa fever is a viral disease spread by rats. It mainly affects people in parts of West Africa, where there are about 300,000 cases of Lassa fever and about 5,000 deaths from it each year.
The disease gets its name from the Nigerian town of Lassa, where it was discovered in 1969 after two missionary nurses died.
Most of the time, the Lassa fever virus causes only mild symptoms such as fever and headaches. But some people get more serious symptoms such as bleeding and troubled breathing. These can be life-threatening.
A type of rodent called the multimammate rat carries the Lassa fever virus in its pee and poop. There are lots of these rats in West, Central, and East Africa. They tend to live in homes and in other areas where people store food.
Lassa fever is spread by the multimammate rat, a rodent native to West, Central, and East Africa. (Photo Credit: Marcus33/Wikipedia)
People risk catching Lassa fever from infected rats if they:
It's rare but possible to get Lassa fever from a person who is sick with it. It can happen if their blood or body fluids get into your system through places such as your eyes, nose, or mouth. You can't catch the disease through casual contact, such as by holding hands, hugging, or sitting near them.
Experts don't think people with the virus are contagious before they have symptoms.
The Lassa fever virus can also spread through contaminated medical equipment, such as reused needles.
You're extremely unlikely to catch this disease in the U.S.
As of 2015, the U.S. Has had eight reported cases of Lassa fever — all linked to people who'd traveled to counties where the virus is more common. Even so, your chances of getting the disease from someone who's traveled to the U.S. From West Africa is very low.
Your odds of catching it are highest if you encounter infected rats while visiting or living in one of these African countries:
Lassa fever mortality rate
The mortality rate for Lassa fever depends on the severity of your case. Across all cases, 1% of people die from Lassa fever. But for severe cases that require hospitalization, that rate increases to about 15%.
If you're pregnant, the mortality rate is higher for both you and your baby. About 1 in 3 mothers die when infected with Lassa fever.
The symptoms usually show up one to three weeks after you're infected. Most people have mild ones such as:
In about 20% of cases, the disease brings on more serious symptoms, such as:
Doctors usually spot the disease with a blood test. In the early stage of the illness, a nose or throat swab could also help them make the diagnosis.
Your doctor will probably give you an antiviral drug called ribavirin. It works best when you take it soon after you get sick.
You may get this medicine through an IV or take it as a pill.
If you have a serious case of Lassa fever, you may need hospital care. There, doctors and nurses can:
About 1 in 3 people will develop some degree of hearing loss after having Lassa fever. While the level of deafness is different depending on the person, this loss of hearing is usually permanent.
If you're pregnant, there's a high risk of miscarriage if you get Lassa fever. In these cases, there's a 95% chance that the fetus will die.
Death from multi-organ failure can happen within two weeks after symptoms start.
If you travel to West Africa, the best way to lower your chances of getting the disease is to stay away from rats.
You can take safety measures, such as:
Can the Lassa virus be cured?
There's no specific cure for Lassa fever, but doctors will usually treat it with the antiviral drug ribavirin. It's most effective when it's given as soon as symptoms appear.
How contagious is Lassa fever?
Unless you have direct contact with a sick person's bodily fluids, it's rare for Lassa virus to spread from person to person. Most of the time, people get it from coming into contact with the pee or poop of an infected rat.
What is the difference between Ebola and Lassa fever?
While both Ebola and Lassa fever are viral hemorrhagic illnesses with similar symptoms, Ebola is much more likely to spread through contact with an infected person's bodily fluids, whereas Lassa fever spreads through contact with the droppings of an infected rat. Ebola cases are most common in Central Africa, while cases of Lassa fever are most often reported in West Africa, though reports of both illnesses have occurred in other regions. Ebola is deadlier, with a fatality rate of about 50%. In comparison, about 1% of people with Lassa virus will die.
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