Lassa Fever

Key points on Lassa Fever

  • Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic illness of 2-21 days duration that occurs in West Africa.
  • The Lassa virus is transmitted to humans via contact with food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or feces.
  • Person-to-person infections and laboratory transmission can also occur, particularly in hospitals lacking adequate infection prevention and control measures.
  • Lassa fever is known to be endemic in Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria, but probably exists in other West African countries as well.
  • The overall case-fatality rate is 1%. Observed case-fatality rate among patients hospitalized with severe cases of Lassa fever is 15%.
  • Early supportive care with rehydration and symptomatic treatment improves survival.

Signs and symptoms:
Lassa fever presents with symptoms and signs similar to those of many febrile illnesses such as malaria. Signs include fever, muscle aches, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, chest and abdominal pain.

What we need to do:

  • Ensure proper environmental sanitation – i.e. keep your environment clean at all times, block all holes in your house to prevent rats from entry.
  • Cover your dustbins and dispose refuse properly. Communities should setup dump sites very far from their homes to reduce the chances of having rodents within homes.
  • Store foodstuff like rice, garri, beans, beans, corn/maize, dry fish etc. in covered rat proof containers.
  • Avoid drying food stuff outside on the floor, roadside where it will be exposed to contamination.
  • Avoid bush burning which could lead to displacement of rats from bushes to human dwellings.
  • Eliminate rats in homes and communities by setting rat traps and other means.
  • Practice good personal hygiene by frequent washing hands with soap under running water/ or use sanitizers when appropriate.
  • Visit the nearest health facility if you notice any of the signs and symptoms of Lassa fever as mentioned earlier, avoid self-medication.

Contact: NCDC Toll-Free Number: 0800-970000-10
SMS: 08099555577
WhatsApp: 07087110839
Twitter/Facebook: @NCDCgov