What is Lassa fever? The deadly signs and symptoms to know

An Iowa resident died after contracting a suspected case of Lassa fever earlier this week. The patient, who returned to the US from West Africa, earlier this month, was hospitalized in isolation at the University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center in Iowa City, and died Tuesday afternoon.

Here's everything you need to know about Lassa fever, how it spreads, symptoms, and the treatment.

What is Lassa fever? Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus. This viral illness is spread by a rat (Mastomys natalensis) found in parts of West Africa.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Lassa fever can be deadly. This viral illness is known to be endemic in Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Nigeria, but probably exists in other West African countries as well.

The first case of Lassa fever was documented in 1969. This illness gets its name after the town in Nigeria, where the initial cased occured.

Symptoms According to CDC, about 8 in 10 people who are infected have mild symptoms and are not diagnosed. The mild symptoms include fever, feeling tired and week, and headache.

The serious symptoms include bleeding, difficulty breathing, vomiting, facial swelling, pain in the chest, back, and abdomen, and shock.

The incubation period of Lassa fever ranges from 2–21 days. The symptoms start to show anywhere between 1 to 3 weeks after being infected.

The complications of contracting the viral illness include hearing loss, and high risk (up to 95%) of miscarriage in pregnant women.

How it spreads?
Lassa fever is spread by the Mastomys rats, and humans become infected through exposure to food or household items contaminated with urine or faeces of the infected rats. It also spreads by touching contaminated objects, eating food that has the virus, getting the virus in open cuts or sores, eating rodents, and breathing in air that has infected urine or droppings.

How to prevent?
As Lassa fever can be deadly, taking necessary precautions is the way forward. It would be a good idea to keep away from the rats if you are going to West Africa. Store food in rat-proof containers and keep the home clean. Avoid eating the rates.

TreatmentAccording to WHO, there is no licensed vaccine for Lassa fever currently, but several potential vaccines are in development.

(Pic courtesy: iStock)