What is the case definition of Lassa fever?
What is the case definition of Lassa fever?
Suspected case of Lassa Fever: Illness with gradual onset with one or more of the. following: malaise, fever, headache, sore throat, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, myalgia, chest pain hearing loss and a history of contact with excreta of rodents or with. a case of Lassa Fever.
What is the meaning of Lassa?
: a disease especially of Africa that is caused by an arenavirus (species Lassa virus of the genus Arenavirus) and is characterized by a high fever, headaches, mouth ulcers, muscle aches, small hemorrhages under the skin, heart and kidney failure, and a high mortality rate.
What type of virus is Lassa?
Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by Lassa virus, a member of the arenavirus family of viruses. Humans usually become infected with Lassa virus through exposure to food or household items contaminated with urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats.
What is Lassa fever caused by?
Lassa fever is a viral infection carried by the multimammate rat Mastomys natalensis (M. natalensis). This is one of the most common rodents in equatorial Africa, found across much of sub-Saharan Africa.
What are the symptoms of Lassa?
For the majority of Lassa fever virus infections (approximately 80%), symptoms are mild and are undiagnosed. Mild symptoms include slight fever, general malaise and weakness, and headache.
What is the treatment for Lassa fever?
Ribavirin, an antiviral drug, has been used with success in Lassa fever patients. It has been shown to be most effective when given early in the course of the illness.
How is Lassa virus transmitted?
Transmission of Lassa virus to humans occurs most commonly through ingestion or inhalation. Mastomys rodents shed the virus in urine and droppings and direct contact with these materials, through touching soiled objects, eating contaminated food, or exposure to open cuts or sores, can lead to infection.
What are the symptoms of Lassa virus?
Is Lassa fever a pandemic disease?
Like many potentially pandemic diseases, Lassa fever is spread by a virus carried by animals – in this case, rats – and in West Africa where it is endemic it can be as dangerous as Ebola or COVID-19.
Is there a cure for Lassa?
What is the first symptom of Lassa fever?
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.
How long can Lassa virus survive outside the body?
SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: The virus is stable as an aerosol, particularly at low relative humidity (30 % RH). The biological half-live at both 24°C and 32°C ranges from 10.1 to 54.6 minutes(20).
What is the death rate from Lassa fever?
The death rate from Lassa fever is approximately 1% versus approximately 70% from Ebola. While both diseases are viral hemorrhagic fevers, bleeding and severe symptoms are not common in cases of Lassa fever.
What’s the difference between Lassa fever and Ebola?
Lassa fever is different from Ebola, the disease that is responsible for the current outbreak in West Africa. Although Lassa fever and Ebola can result in similar symptoms, Lassa fever is less likely than Ebola to spread from person to person and is far less deadly.
Which is the best treatment for Lassa fever?
Ribavirin remains the only effective life-saving treatment only when given six days of onset of symptoms. Conclusion Lassa fever remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality in West Africa, Nigeria inclusive.
Where did Lassa fever get its name from?
The illness was discovered in 1969 and is named after the town in Nigeria where the first cases occurred. An estimated 100,000 to 300,000 infections of Lassa fever occur annually, with approximately 5,000 deaths. Surveillance for Lassa fever is not standardized; therefore, these estimates are crude.