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Lassa fever disease, Symptoms, Causes
Overview
Table of Contents
Lassa fever is the viral haemorrhagic fever caused by the Arena virus-related RNA virus. The disease causes an acute illness that can be fatal for the patient. In Lassa infection, the blood vessel barriers get damaged resulting in leaking of the blood leading to blood clotting. The virus leads to internal bleeding in the walls of the blood vessels. The disease kills 20% of the patients every year which is rising with time. Some of the most common viral haemorrhagic fever include jaundice ( yellow fever ), Marburg, Ebola virus, dengue, malaria, typhoid and many more. Vaccines for some infections are available while some are still being researched. There is currently a cure for Lassa fever; the disease can only be managed and the symptoms can only be reduced.
The symptoms of laws of fever are not visible in the majority of the cases and in the rest of the cases, the symptoms vary from one person to another. Some of the common symptoms of viral haemorrhagic fever include the following –
• Mild or moderate level fever
• Fatigue
• Restlessness and tiredness
• Dizziness
• body and muscle ache
• continuous headache
• Nausea
• Diarrhoea
• Frequent vomiting
• Haemorrhaging in several body parts like eyes, nose, ears or mouth
• Vision and hearing loss
• Liver failure
• kidney damage
• Heart failure
• Permanent damage to the respiratory organs
• Delirium
• Coma
You can go to see the doctor if you have visited some other country or travelled far away recently as there are higher chances that you might have been affected by any Lassa fever. Also if you see casual symptoms of Lassa disease like a mild fever or yellow skin tone or frequent vomiting, you should go for your doctors consult at least once to know if you suffer from any viral infection.
Lassa fever is of many different types and there is not a single cause of development of the disease.
The infection majorly spread by coming in contact with different variety of animals and insects. Some of them include mosquitoes, rats and bats.
The disease is also transmitted from one person to another hence becoming a contagious infection.
In some the countries like West Africa and grasslands, the virus is found in the pieces of rats also.
It is transmitted generally by animal bites, body fluids like blood and saliva or by inhaling the infected pieces of the rats and their urine.
• Travelling from one place to another. Especially in the places where Lassa infection is most.
• Getting in contact with infected people
• Eating the infected animals
• Choosing unprotected sex. (Especially oral sex)
• Exchanging needles for intravenous drugs
• Getting exposed to the infected blood, saliva or semen
• Organ failure
• Septic shocks
• Hearing loss
• Vision loss
• Disability of various parts of your organ
• Sudden death
Yes, the disease is preventable. Staying to choose precautional steps can really help you to reduce the risk of the disease yourself. The Sum of the steps you need to take care of includes the following-
• Try to get in the least contact with rats, mosquitoes and any such insect which leads to the contribution of the Lassa infection.
• Go wearing gloves and a mask to avoid getting in touch with the infection
• Keep red resistance containers for food storage
• Spray rat and insect Killers outside your home
• Keep rat traps at your home
• Sanitize your inside and outside well
• Segregate the rat disposals in the Botanical organic method by lab Specialists
• Get vaccinated for which the vaccines of Lassa infections are available like jaundice and Ebola infection.
• Cover your body completely. Prefer wearing long-sleeved dresses and full pants.
• Use insect repellents and mosquito coils
In most cases, the diagnosis is not done in the starting phase as the symptoms like fever and body ache are believed to be the cause of some other reason also
o.
Diagnosis is done based upon the type of viral haemorrhagic infection you are more prone to.
1. Real-time rivers transcription- polymerase Chain Reaction test (RT PCR TEST)
2. Serologic tests like Elisa
3. Blood sample
4. Urine analysis
5. Stool study
6. Study your past medical history
7. Virus culture technique
What treatment methods are available for Lassa infection or viral haemorrhagic fever?
There is no cure and complete cure for Lassa fever. But, few medications and instant therapies are really helpful in reducing the symptoms. Some of the treatments available include the following-
• Medications
The antiviral medication named ribavirin is quite famous for treating Lassa infections. The drug is instant relief for illness and body aches but it would be given within the first week only of the infection. Some of the common ribavirin medicine prescribed by doctors include Rebetol, ribasphere and virazol and very helpful.
• Intravenous Fluid supplements like electoral powder to
• Medications the antiviral medication named ribavirin is quite famous for treating Lassa infections. The drug is instant relief for illness and body aches but it would be given within the first week only of the infection. Some of the common ribavirin medicine prescribed by the doctors include Rebetol, ribasphere and virazol and very helpful.
• Intravenous Fluid supplements like electoral powder to maintain the hydration level of your body
• Oxygenation and respiratory support
• Suggested to eat green leafy vegetables and fresh fruits.
Answer – the infection mostly effect to the people living in places where the disease is more thrown like the best Africa and the Pacific Island . Also if you are among the one who likes to travel and travel a lot you may frequently get the virus into yourself.
Answer – the time for treatment depends on many factors like the type of Lassa infection you suffer from ,the phase at which you are currently suffering and many other such factors but usually it get recovered within 1 to 2 months.
Answer – no, Lassa infection is not contagious and it cannot spread through person to person or by any kind of physical contact.
Answer – Lassa fever can said to be life threatening but the death rate is as low as 1%. Moreover , the complication issues in the infection can really be fatal therefore , the disease must not be left untreated.
