Table of Contents
What is Lassa fever PDF?
Introduction. Lassa fever, also known as Lassa hemorrhagic. fever, is an acute and often fatal viral hemorrhagic. fever that is caused by the Lassa virus, which is an. enveloped RNA virus from the Arenavirus family.
What causes Lassa fever?
Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by Lassa virus, a member of the arenavirus family of viruses. Humans usually become infected with Lassa virus through exposure to food or household items contaminated with urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats.
What is the prevention and control of Lassa fever?
Primary transmission of the Lassa virus from its host to humans can be prevented by avoiding contact with Mastomys rodents, especially in the geographic regions where outbreaks occur. Putting food away in rodent-proof containers and keeping the home clean help to discourage rodents from entering homes.
Who brought Lassa fever to Nigeria?
Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic fever transmitted by rats. It has been known since the 1950s, but the virus was not identified until 1969, when two missionary nurses died from it in the town of Lassa in Nigeria.
How is Lassa transmitted?
Transmission of Lassa virus to humans normally occurs through contamination of broken skin or mucous membranes via direct or indirect contact with infected rodent excreta on floors, home surfaces, in food or water. Transmission is also possible where rodents are caught and consumed as food.
What animal causes Lassa fever?
The reservoir, or host, of Lassa virus is a rodent known as the “multimammate rat” (Mastomys natalensis). Once infected, this rodent is able to excrete virus in urine for an extended time period, maybe for the rest of its life.
Who discovered Lassa virus?
The Yale epidemiologist who discovered Lassa fever in 1969 very nearly died of what was then a mystery illness while he was investigating it. Dr Jordi Casals-Ariet was studying the blood samples of three US missionary nurses who had become seriously ill while visiting northern Nigeria.