Lassa Fever- Key Facts

February 15, 2022

On February 11, 2022, one of the three persons diagnosed with Lassa fever in United Kingdom, died.

Key Facts

Cases of Lassa fever have been linked to travel to west African countries.
Lassa virus has been named after a town in Nigeria where first cases were discovered.
Death rate associated with this disease is low, at about one percent.
However, death rate is higher for certain individuals, like pregnant women in their third trimester.

Nature of the disease

As per European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, around 80 per cent of cases are asymptomatic. Thus, it remains undiagnosed. Some patients may need hospitalisation and develop severe multi-system disease. Fifteen per cent of hospitalised patients may die.

What is Lassa fever?

The virus causing Lassa fever is found in West Africa. It was first discovered in Lassa, Nigeria in 1969. This disease was discovered when two nurses died in Nigeria.

How this disease spread?

The Lassa fever spread by rats. A person can become infected, when they come in contact with food items contaminated with urine or faces of an infected rat. In rare cases, it can also spread, if a person comes in contact with infected bodily fluids of sick person or through mucous membranes like eyes, nose or the mouth. Person-to-person transmission is common in healthcare settings.

Where is the disease found?

Lassa fever is primarily found in countries of West Africa like Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Guinea. In Nigeria, it is endemic.

Symptoms of Lassa Fever

Symptoms of Lassa fever usually appear 1-3 weeks after exposure. Mild symptoms include fatigue, slight fever, headache and weakness. Its serious symptoms include bleeding, vomiting, difficulty breathing, facial swelling, shock, and pain in back, chest, & abdomen. Patient can die in two weeks of the onset of symptoms, because of multi-organ failure. Most common complication associated with it is deafness.

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