Recently, the fatal diagnosis of Lassa fever claimed three lives in the United Kingdom. This current occurrence has been associated with travel to West African countries.
The Origins of Lassa Fever
Named after the town in Nigeria where it was first discovered in 1969, the Lassa fever is caused by a virus found particularly in West Africa. The infection is predominantly present in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, and Nigeria, where it is considered endemic. Matomys rats, native to this region, have been identified as carriers of the Lassa virus.
The Severity and Prevalence of the Disease
While this disease has a relatively low death rate of around 1%, certain individuals such as pregnant women in their third trimesters face a higher mortality risk. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reports that approximately 80% of cases are asymptomatic, leading to a large proportion of undiagnosed instances.
Understanding How Lassa Fever Spreads
Lassa fever is essentially a zoonotic disease, meaning that it can be transferred from animals to humans. This transmission happens when a person comes in contact with food or household items contaminated with urine or feces of an infected rat. However, in rare situations, it’s also possible to catch the disease through direct contact with an infected person’s bodily fluids or mucus membranes such as the eyes, nose, or mouth. It’s noted that person-to-person transmission prevalently occurs within healthcare settings.
Symptoms of Lassa Fever
Mild symptoms of Lassa fever include a slight increase in temperature, weakness, weariness, and headaches. Furthermore, serious indications of the illness involve internal or external bleeding, difficulty in breathing, vomiting, swelling of the face, and pain in the chest, back, and stomach. If left untreated, the disease can lead to multi-organ failure causing death within two weeks from the onset of these severe symptoms.
Available Treatment for Lassa Fever
Currently, the antiviral medication ribavirin has shown effectiveness in treating Lassa fever, especially when administered early during the clinical illness stage. Ensuring timely diagnosis and treatment remains key in controlling the impact of this disease.
With an alarming recent outbreak in the UK, understanding Lassa fever, its origins, severity, mode of transmission, symptoms, and treatment options is crucial. This knowledge will facilitate early detection and intervention strategies in affected individuals and help healthcare authorities contain the spread of the disease.
Last Modified: February 15, 2024