Symptoms
- gradual onset of fever, malaise, headache, dizziness and sore throat.
- nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are common.
- in severe cases, hypotension, shock, and seizures may result.
- acute illness lasts 7 to 31 days with an average of 12 days.
Infectious agent
- Lassa virus, an arenavirus named after a town in Nigeria.
Mode of transmission
- contact with excreta of infected rodents deposited on surfaces such as beds and floors or in food.
- transmission also occurs via contact with blood, secretions or excretions of an infected person.
- transplacental transmissions can occur.
Distribution
- widely distributed over W. Africa, especially Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Incubation period & communicability
- 8 to 14 days
- person to person transmission may occur during the acute febrile phase when the virus is present in the throat.
Treament
- antiviral agents - ribavirin
- mechanical ventilation and renal dialysis may be required.
Thanks to the World Health Organisation
for much of this information.
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