A Comprehensive Study on Lassa Fever

Abstract

Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease found in West Africa that lasts for 2-21 days. There are signs that usually include fever, fatigue, vomiting, headaches, and body pain. Bleeding from the mouth or the gastrointestinal tract can occur less frequently. The risk of death if infected is about one percent and happens frequently within two weeks of symptom onset. The Lassa virus is spread to humans by contact with food or household products that are infected with urine or faeces from rodents. There may also be person-to-person infections and laboratory transmission, especially in hospitals that lack sufficient prevention and control measures for infection. In Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria, Lassa fever is considered to be endemic, but potentially still occurs in other West African nations. The average rate of case-fatality is 1% . The case-fatality rate observed amongst patients hospitalised with serious cases of Lassa fever is 15% . Survival is improved by early compassionate care with rehydration and symptomatic medication.