Prevention Of Lassa Fever: Share To Save Lives

Lassa fever or Lassa hemorrhagic fever (LHF) is an acute viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus and first described in 1969 in the town of Lassa, in Borno State, Nigeria. Lassa fever is a member of the Arenaviridae virus family. Similar to ebola, clinical cases of the disease had been known for over a decade, but had not been connected with a viral pathogen.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

According to WHO in 80% of cases, the disease is not symptomatic but in the remaining 20%, it takes a complicated course. The virus is estimated to be responsible for about 5,000 deaths annually. The fever accounts for up to one-third of deaths in hospitals within the affected regions and 10 to 16% of total cases.
After an incubation period of six to 21 days, an acute illness with multiorgan 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 headache, vomiting, diarrhoea and so.

PREVENTION

Prevention of Lassa fever is possible. That is basically built around promoting good “community hygiene” to bar rats from entering homes.
Grains and other foodstuffs should be stored in rodent-proof containers, while disposing garbage far from the home, maintaining clean households.
A large number of Nigerians do not love keeping cats, but the WHO prescribes that keeping cats can help keep Lassa fever away, by keeping rats away altogether.
Family members should always be careful to avoid contact with blood and body fluids while caring for sick persons. Share to save lives.