Partial or complete, temporary or permanent hearing loss[1]
Usual onset
1–3 weeks following exposure[1]
Causes
Lassa virus[1]
Risk factors
Exposure to rodents in West Africa[1]
Diagnostic method
Laboratory testing[1]
Differential diagnosis
Ebola, malaria, typhoid fever[1]
Treatment
Supportive[1]
Prognosis
~1% risk of death with treatment[1]
Frequency
400,000 cases per year[2]
Deaths
5,000 deaths per year[2]
Lassa fever, also known as Lassa hemorrhagic fever, is a type of viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus.[1] Many of those infected by the virus do not develop symptoms.[1] When symptoms occur they typically include fever, weakness, headaches, vomiting, and muscle pains.[1] Less commonly there may be bleeding from the mouth or gastrointestinal tract.[1] The risk of death once infected is about one percent and frequently occurs within two weeks of the onset of symptoms.[1] Of those who survive, about a quarter have hearing loss, which improves within three months in about half of these cases.[1][3][4]
The disease is usually initially spread to people via contact with the urine or feces of an infected multimammate mouse.[1] Spread can then occur via direct contact between people.[1][5] Diagnosis based on symptoms is difficult.[1] Confirmation is by laboratory testing to detect the virus's RNA, antibodies for the virus, or the virus itself in cell culture.[1] Other conditions that may present similarly include Ebola, malaria, typhoid fever, and yellow fever.[1] The Lassa virus is a member of the Arenaviridae family of viruses.[1]
There is no vaccine.[6] Prevention requires isolating those who are infected and decreasing contact with the mice.[1] Other efforts to control the spread of disease include having a cat to hunt vermin, and storing food in sealed containers.[1] Treatment is directed at addressing dehydration and improving symptoms.[1] The antiviral medication ribavirin has been recommended,[1] but evidence to support its use is weak.[7][8]
Descriptions of the disease date from the 1950s.[1] The virus was first described in 1969 from a case in the town of Lassa, in Borno State, Nigeria.[1][9] Lassa fever is relatively common in West Africa including the countries of Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Ghana.[1][2] There are about 300,000 to 500,000 cases which result in 5,000 deaths a year.[2][10]
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzaaab"Lassa fever". WHO. March 2016. Archived from the original on 1 November 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
^ abcdOgbu O, Ajuluchukwu E, Uneke CJ (2007). "Lassa fever in West African sub-region: an overview". Journal of Vector Borne Diseases. 44 (1): 1–11. PMID 17378212. Lassa fever is endemic in West Africa.
^"Lassa fever". www.who.int. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
^"Lassa Fever | CDC". www.cdc.gov. 4 March 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
^Eberhardt KA, Mischlinger J, Jordan S, Groger M, Günther S, Ramharter M (October 2019). "Ribavirin for the treatment of Lassa fever: A systematic review and meta-analysis". International Journal of Infectious Diseases. 87: 15–20. doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2019.07.015. PMID 31357056.
^Salam A, Cheng V, Edwards T, Olliaro P, Sterne J, Horby P (July 2021). "Time to reconsider the role of ribavirin in Lassa fever". PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 15 (7): e0009522. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0009522. PMC 8266111. PMID 34237063.
^Frame JD, Baldwin JM, Gocke DJ, Troup JM (1 July 1970). "Lassa fever, a new virus disease of man from West Africa. I. Clinical description and pathological findings". Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 19 (4): 670–6. doi:10.4269/ajtmh.1970.19.670. PMID 4246571.
^Houlihan C, Behrens R (12 July 2017). "Lassa fever". BMJ. 358: j2986. doi:10.1136/bmj.j2986. PMID 28701331. S2CID 206916006.
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