Lassa fever is a potentially deadly disease that requires extreme caution due to its causative agent, a virus. As of the present moment, Indonesia is not reporting any cases of Lassa fever; however, Nigeria experienced an endemic outbreak of this disease in 2020. What is Lassa fever, and how is it spread? Read the following article:

What is Lassa fever?

Lassa fever is classified as a zoonotic disease, meaning it is transmitted by animals. Lassa fever is transmitted by Mastomys rodents that have been infected with the Lassa virus. Although infected rodents do not develop Lassa fever, the virus can be transmitted to humans via their urine and feces.

The majority of Lassa virus infections are asymptomatic; however, in severe conditions, this viral infection can be deadly. The mortality rate associated with the Lassa virus is 1% of all reported cases. This virus has the ability to invade and replicate within several organs of the body, including the liver, spleen, kidneys, and other tissues, as well as the vascular system.

What are the most common symptoms of Lassa fever?

Lassa fever is asymptomatic in around 80% of patients. A few people do not experience any symptoms until the disease has progressed significantly. It is challenging to detect and treat Lassa fever early since its symptoms are similar to those of other viral infections. These infections include Ebola, malaria, shigellosis, typhoid fever, yellow fever, and typhoid.

Lassa fever has an incubation period of 2–21 days. The disease can manifest with a variety of symptoms, including:

• Fever
• Physical weakness
• Malaise

Following a few days, symptoms may progress to:

• Headache
• Sore throat
• Muscle pain
• Chest pain
• Nauseous
• Vomit
• Diarrhea
• Cough
• Stomachache

Severe manifestations of this condition may include facial edema, fluid accumulation in the pulmonary cavity, hemorrhage from the oral, nasal, vaginal, or gastrointestinal tract, and hypotension. Further complications include shock, convulsions, disorientation, and coma.

Lassa fever can cause hearing loss or deafness following recovery. Hearing restoration may happen in 50% of cases within a period of 1-3 months. Hair loss and disturbances in gait may also manifest in patients during the recovery phase.

Due to the variable and nonspecific pattern of Lassa fever symptoms, clinical diagnosis is frequently challenging, particularly in the early stages of the infection. Lassa fever is difficult to differentiate from fevers caused by other viruses, including Ebola virus disease, malaria, shigellosis, typhoid fever, and yellow fever.

Facts about transmission of Lassa fever

The transmission of Lassa virus to humans occurs via direct contact with the urine or feces of infected Mastomys rats. Human-to-human transmission can also happen through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. This includes exposure to the excrement, urine, or blood of an infected person, or sexual contact.

The Lassa virus can also enter the body through contact with open sores or wounds that have been infected. Additionally, transmission between humans is possible via contaminated medical equipment, including the sharing of injections.

What are the treatment options for Lassa fever?

Currently, there is no specific pharmaceutical treatment available for Lassa fever. Doctors can prescribe the antiviral drug ribavirin, which is effective at slowing the progression of disease. The doctor will advise hospitalization in order to guarantee that the patient receives the necessary treatment. The objectives of treatment are symptom elimination, function maintenance, and risk of complication prevention.

Although there have been no reported cases of Lassa fever in Indonesia thus far, it is important to take caution regarding this potentially fatal disease. If you need medical advice or consultation, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.

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