According to Wikipedia(2016) 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.
Lassa frequently infects people in West 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 Natal multimammate mouse (Mastomys natalensis ), an animal found in most of sub-Saharan Africa.
The virus is probably transmitted by contact with the feces or urine of animals accessing grain stores in residences. Given its high rate of incidence, Lassa fever is a major problem in affected countries. Signs and symptoms In 80% of cases, the disease is asymptomatic , but in the remaining 20%, it takes a complicated course. The virus is estimated to be responsible for about 5,000 deaths annually.
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:
Gastrointestinal tract
Nausea
Vomiting (bloody)
Diarrhea (bloody)
Stomach ache
Constipation
Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
Hepatitis
Cardiovascular system
Pericarditis
Hypertension
Hypotension
Tachycardia (abnormally high heart rate)
Respiratory tract
Cough
Chest pain
Dyspnoea
Pharyngitis
Pleuritis
Nervous system
Encephalitis
Meningitis
Unilateral or bilateral hearing deficit
Seizures
Clinically, Lassa fever infections are difficult to distinguish from other viral hemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola and Marburg , and from more common febrile illnesses such as
malaria .There has been an outbreak of the viral disease known as Lassa Fever in Nigeria in recent weeks with reported cases in 8 states.
In order to prevent infection with Lassa Fever, please maintain these simple health habits:
* Put foods away in rodent-proof containers.
* Keep your homes clean to discourage rodents.
* Avoid unnecessary body contact.
* Avoid sharing of sharp objects such as clippers.
* Observe good personal hygiene, including hand
* Hand washing with soap and running water regularly
Reference: Wikipedia, Google search.