Tackling Lassa Fever, Rodents Can’t Be Too Powerful
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Lassa fever also known as Lassa hemorrhagic fever (LHF) is an acute illness caused by the Lassa virus and first discovered in 1969 in the town of Lassa, in Bornu State, Nigeria. Lassa fever is a member of the virus family similar to Ebola.
However, according to research, Lassa frequently infects people in Africa; it results in 300,000 to 500,000 cases annually and causes about 5,000 deaths each year. Outbreaks of the disease have been observed in Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and the Central African Republic. The primary animal host of the Lassa virus is the mouse (Mastomys natalensis), an animal found in most of sub-Saharan Africa. The virus is probably transmitted by contact with the faeces or urine of animals accessing grain stores in residences.
Having known what Lassa is, its outbreak in Africa, the primary animal host and the recorded death rate annually, therefore what causes Lassa fever , what are the symptoms to look out for, how can it be prevented and what proper treatment should be given to all persons suspected of Lassa fever infection?
Causes of Lassa fever
Lassa virus is transmitted from animals in such a way that it spreads to humans from rodents, specifically mice. This is probably the most common mouse in equatorial Africa, ubiquitous in human households and eaten as a delicacy in some areas.
In these rodents, infection is in a persistent state. The virus is shed in their excreta (urine and faeces), which can be discharged.
Infection in humans occurs by exposure to animal excrement through the respiratory or gastrointestinal tracts. Inhalation of tiny particles of infectious material is believed to be the most significant means of exposure.
Nevertheless, it is possible to acquire the infection through broken skin or mucous membranes that are directly exposed to infectious material. Transmission from person to person has also been established, presenting a disease risk for healthcare workers. Frequency of transmission by sexual contact has not been established.
Sign and symptoms
After an incubation period of six to 21 days, an acute illness with multiple dysfunction of the organs involvement develops. Nonspecific symptoms include fever, facial swelling, and muscle fatigue, as well as conjunctivitis and mucosal bleeding. The other symptoms arising from the affected organs are: nausea, vomiting (bloody), diarrhea (bloody), hepatitis, stomach ache and constipation from the gastrointestinal tract. Pericarditis, hypertension, hypotension, tachycardia (abnormal high heart rate from the Cardiovascular System. From the respiratory tract the symptoms are cough, chest pain, dyspnoea, pharyngitis, and pleurisies and lastly from the nervous system, the symptoms include encephalitis, meningitis, unilateral or bilateral deficit, seizure and it can eventually leads to death.
Prevention
Since the Control of the rodent population is impractical, so measures are limited to keeping rodents out of homes and food supplies, as well as maintaining effective personal hygiene. Gloves, masks, laboratory coats, and goggles are advised while in contact with an infected person, maintaining a clean environment, cooking foods thoroughly discard any food items that might have been contaminated by rats, store food stuffs in a well closed and clean containers and lastly frequent hand washing with soap and water.
However, researchers at the USAMRIID (United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases) facility where military biologists study infectious diseases have developed a replication-competent vaccine against Lassa virus.
Treatment
Lastly, all persons suspected of Lassa fever infection should be admitted to isolation facilities and their body fluids and excreta should properly be disposed. Early and aggressive treatment using ribavirin was pioneered by Joe McCormick in 1979, after extensive testing, early administration was determined to be critical to success. Work on a vaccine is continuing, with multiple approaches showing positive results in animal trials.
Beware be careful and be wise of the small creature RODENT!!!
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