What is Lassa Fever? How can we protect ourselves?

Some of us travel to foreign countries for work, travel , or other purposes, don't we? When we do, it is very important that we are aware of some of the diseases that are especially endemic to those countries. Because then we can protect ourselves. Today we are talking about a disease that is spreading, especially in West African countries. This disease is called Lassa Fever.

What exactly is Lassa Fever?

Simply put, Lassa fever is a disease caused by a virus . This virus mainly enters our bodies from rats . This disease was first identified in 1969 in the city of "Lassa" in Nigeria. That is why it has been named "Lassa fever".

Most of the time, this disease causes common symptoms like fever, body aches , and headaches. However, for some people, it can be a little more severe. That means it can lead to more serious conditions like bleeding gums and difficulty breathing. This can even be life-threatening.

How do we get this disease?

Lassa virus is mainly carried by a special type of rat found in West, Central, and East Africa. The virus lives in the urine and feces of these rats. These rats love to come into homes where people live and where food is stored.

So, there are several ways a person can contract this disease:

• By coming into contact with the urine or feces of a rat that is infected with the virus. Imagine that a rat like this has come and gone and its waste has been left somewhere. If you touch those things, eat food with those hands, or touch your eyes, nose, or mouth, the virus can enter your body.
• By eating infected rats. In some areas, people catch rats and eat them. Doing so increases the risk of contracting the disease.
• By breathing in tiny particles from the feces of infected mice. The dried feces of mice can become powdery and accumulate in the air. If we breathe that air, the virus can enter our lungs.

It is very rare for the disease to spread from person to person. But it is not impossible. For this to happen, blood or other bodily fluids (e.g., vomit , urine) from an infected person must enter the body of a healthy person through a wound, the eyes, nose, or mouth. The disease is not spread by simply shaking hands, hugging, or sitting close to someone. Also, experts say that an infected person cannot spread the disease to another person before symptoms appear.

Who is most at risk?

First of all, we in Sri Lanka have nothing to be afraid of about this disease. Because this disease is hardly reported in our country. It is mainly seen in West African countries. For example:

• Sierra Leone
• Liberia
• Guinea
• Nigeria

The risk is only present if you travel to or live in these countries.

According to reports from the World Health Organization, the mortality rate for people who contract this disease is about 1%. However, for those who become seriously ill and are hospitalized, about 15% may die.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms appear within one to three weeks of infection. About 80% of people experience very mild, normal symptoms. But about 20% of people may develop severe illness. Let's see this clearly in a table.

Diagnosis and treatment of the disease

If you develop symptoms like these after traveling to an African country, it is very important to see a doctor immediately and tell them about your trip .

Doctors usually diagnose this disease through a blood test . In the early stages of the disease, the diagnosis can also be made by examining secretions taken from the nose or throat.

As a treatment, your doctor will often prescribe an antiviral drug called Ribavirin . This medication works best if you start it as soon as you start having symptoms. This medication may be given intravenously (IV) or as a pill.

Those with severe illness require hospital treatment. There, doctors and nurses:

• Things like saline are given to prevent dehydration in the body.
• Oxygen is provided if necessary.
• Controls blood pressure.
• If other health problems arise, they will also be treated.

What complications can this cause?

One of the most serious and debilitating complications of Lassa fever is hearing loss . About a third of those infected will develop some degree of deafness. This is often permanent .

Another thing is that if the disease becomes severe, multiple organ failure and even death can occur within two weeks of the onset of symptoms.

How can you protect yourself from Lassa fever?

If you are traveling to a West African country, the best way to protect yourself from this disease is to stay away from rats . To do this, you can do the following:

• Store food and drinks in tightly closed containers that are inaccessible to mice.
• Keep the place you stay clean. That way, the number of rats will be reduced.
• If you see rats where you are, move to another location if possible. Or set up rat traps.
• Never try to cook and eat rats.