By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.
Accept
Okay.ngOkay.ngOkay.ng
Font ResizerAa
  • News
    • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Business & Economy
  • Sport
  • Tech
Reading: IMPORTANT: 5 Things You Should Know About Lassa Fever Virus
Share
Font ResizerAa
Okay.ngOkay.ng
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Business & Economy
  • Sport
  • Tech
Search
  • News
    • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Business & Economy
  • Sport
  • Tech
Follow US
  • About Okay.ng
  • Advertising on Okay.ng
  • Contact Okay.ng
  • Careers
  • Meet the Team behind Okay.ng
  • Ownership and Funding of Okay.ng
  • Editorial Principles at Okay.ng
© OKN MEDIA PUBLISHING 2022 - All rights reserved
Featured

IMPORTANT: 5 Things You Should Know About Lassa Fever Virus

Farouk Mohammed
By Farouk Mohammed
Published: January 16, 2016
Share
3 Min Read
SHARE

lassa-fever-virus-1

Contents
SymptomsTransmissionDiagnosisTreatment and VaccinesPrevention and Control

Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic illness caused by Lassa virus.

It is transmitted to humans from contacts with food or household items contaminated with rodent excreta.

Person-to-person infections and laboratory transmission can also occur, particularly in the hospital environment in the absence of adequate infection control.

- Advertisement -

Popular in certain parts of West Africa, the virus was not identified until 1969. It is a single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the virus family Arenaviridae.

Here are Five Things You Should Know About Lassa Fever

Symptoms

The Symptoms of LASSA Fever include fever, general weakness, and malaise. After a few days, headache, sore throat, muscle pain, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, cough, and abdominal pain may follow.

In severe cases facial swelling, fluid in the lung cavity, bleeding from the mouth, nose, vagina or gastrointestinal tract and low blood pressure may develop.

- Advertisement -

Shock, seizures, tremor, disorientation, and coma may be seen in the later stages. Deafness occurs in 25% of patients who survive the disease. Death usually occurs within 14 days of onset in fatal cases.

Transmission

Humans usually become infected with Lassa virus from exposure to urine or faeces of infected rats.

Lassa virus may also be spread between humans through direct contact with the blood, urine, faeces, or other bodily secretions of a person infected with Lassa fever.

Lassa fever occurs in all age groups and both sexes. Persons at greatest risk are those living in rural areas, especially in communities with poor sanitation or crowded living conditions.

Diagnosis

Definitive Diagnosis of the Virus requires testing.

Treatment and Vaccines

The antiviral drug Ribavirin seems to be an effective treatment for Lassa fever if given early on in the course of clinical illness.

Prevention and Control

Prevention of Lassa fever relies on good “community hygiene” to discourage rodents from entering homes.

Effective measures include storing grain and other foodstuffs in rodent-proof containers, disposing of garbage far from the home, maintaining clean households and keeping cats.

Want to Report Any Case of Lassa Fever Click Here

Stay Updated on the Go with Our Latest News—Join Our WhatsApp Channel Now!
TAGGED:Lassa Fever
Share This Article
Facebook Whatsapp Whatsapp Telegram Email Copy Link Print
ByFarouk Mohammed
Publisher
Follow:
Farouk Mohammed is a Head Editor at Okay Nigeria (Okay.ng). He has been publishing for 10 years and focused more on Local/World News on Okay.ng
Previous Article Obafemi Martins Shares Photo with Wizkid & Dammy Krane In His Apartment – See Photo
Next Article 6 Ways on How to Prevent the Spread of Lassa Fever Virus – NOA

Connect with Okay on Social

FacebookLike
XFollow
InstagramFollow
TelegramFollow

Dollar/Naira Rates

Dollar to Naira Exchange Rate

Okay.ng Logo
Buy Rate ₦1,605.00
Sell Rate ₦1,620.00

Last updated: 4 days ago (June 3, 2025 2:33 pm)

Displayed rates are for informational purposes only and are subject to change.

USD/NGN Converter

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image
- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image

Recent Posts

Super Eagles Rally to Draw Against Russia in International Friendly
Sport
Manchester United Raises Annual Core Profit Forecast to Between £180m and £190m After Europa League Boost
Sport
Ange Postecoglou
Tottenham Hotspur Part Ways with Ange Postecoglou Despite Europa League Glory
Sport
Dangote Names Main Refinery Access Road “Bola Ahmed Tinubu Road” in Honor of President
News
L-R: Ify Okoye, Digital Creator; Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman, Actress; Stella Erebor, Head Internal Audit, Nigerian Communications Commission; Emanuella Samuel, Comedienne/Actress, Sylvia Musalagani, Safety Policy Manager, Africa, Middle East & Turkey (AMET), Meta, and Nicole Chikwe, founder of The Mummy Summit, during the launch of Instagram teen accounts in Lagos on Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Meta Launches Teen Accounts on Instagram in Nigeria to Enhance Online Safety for Young Users
Tech
- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image

You May Also Like

News

President Tinubu and Top Officials Attend Eid-el-Kabir Prayers in Lagos, Emphasize Peace and Progress

Oluwadara Akingbohungbe
Oluwadara Akingbohungbe
June 6, 2025
International

Elon Musk’s Net Worth Plummets $34 Billion Amid Explosive Feud with Donald Trump

Oluwadara Akingbohungbe
Oluwadara Akingbohungbe
June 6, 2025
PoliticsTop stories

BREAKING: Akwa Ibom Governor Pastor Umo Eno Defects from PDP to APC in Strategic Political Shift

Oluwadara Akingbohungbe
Oluwadara Akingbohungbe
June 6, 2025
Okay.ngOkay.ng
Follow US
© OKN MEDIA PUBLISHING 2025 - All rights reserved
  • About Okay.ng
  • Advertising on Okay.ng
  • Contact Okay.ng
  • Careers
  • Meet the Team behind Okay.ng
  • Ownership and Funding of Okay.ng
  • Editorial Principles at Okay.ng
adbanner
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?