LASSA FEVER: PROTECT YOURSELF, FAMILY AND
FRIENDS
Lassa fever is a severe, life-threatening acute
viral hemorrhagic fever caused by a virus that
belongs to the family called arenaviridae. Lassa
fever has an incubation period of 6-21 days.
Lassa fever is difficult to recognize and detect
easily with high case fatality rate without medical
intervention.
ORIGIN OF LASSA FEVER
Lassa fever was first discovered in 1969 in Lassa
community, Maiduguri, Borno state in Nigeria,
where it killed two missionary nurses. The disease
has since spread to other west African countries
like Guinea, Sierra Leone, Gambia etc.
CAUSE OF LASSAFEVER
Multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis); rat
with many breasts.
HOW LASSA FEVER CAN BE CONTRACTED
Primary mode :
1. Direct contact with infected rats
2. Consumption of food infected or contaminated
with excreta(urine or stool)of infected rats.
3. Consumption of infected rats
Secondary mode:
1. Through direct contact with infected blood or
bodily secretions/fluid (urine, stool, sores, cuts or
wounds and Fluid etc) or contaminated items
(medical patients, needles, dirty bed sheets)
formites or aerosole.
2. Through sexual intercourse with infected
person or those who have recovered from Lassa
fever.
WHO IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO LASSA FEVER
People of ll ages are susceptible. Pregnant women
are more likely to develop severe disease
especially in late pregnancy.
THOSE AT RISK OF CONTACTING LASSA FEVER
• Family members of Lassa fever patient
• Caretakers
• Traditional healers
• Medical & health care workers (high risk group)
• Patients receiving treatment from a health care
professional who is also treating Lassa fever
patients who is not appropriate infection control
measures
• Participants of traditional burial rituals
• Sexual partners of a Lassa fever survivor or a
suspected Lassa fever patient
• Hospital workers (Ward mate & laundry staff).
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF LASSA FEVER
Stage 1 (Days 1-3)
1. Generalized body weakness and malaise
2. Constant high fever (390c and above)
Stage 2 (days 4 – 7)
3. Sore throat white exudative pharyngitis
(patches)-very common. Headache
4. Back, chest, side and abdominal pain.
Conjunctivitis, Nausea and vomiting
5. Productive cough, proteinuria
6. Low blood pressure (systolic 100mmhg).
Anaemia
Stage 3 (8 – 14 days)
7. Neck and facial swelling (edema). Convulsions.
8. Internal bleeding. Encephalopathy with
confusion or disorientate.
9. Coma and death – after 14 days (stage 4)
TREATMENT/CURE FOR LASSA FEVER
1. Supportive treatment/psychological care using
PPE, observing SOP and universal precautionary
measures)
2. Drug treatment- (RIBAVIRIN) for 10days.
Intravenous Ribavirin is most effective if given in
the first 6 days of illness.
HOW LASSA FEVER CAN BE PREVENTED AND
CONTROLLED
1. Avoid bush burning
2. Ensure rats are killed or put away from homes.
3. Avoid contact with rats
4. Personal hygiene (wash hands with soap and
water)
5. Ensure that foods and food stuff are safe and
always covered
6. Stop the consumption of rats (especially rats
with many breast)
7. General environmental sanitation
8. Health education/community sensitization and
awareness creation.
9. Hygienic funeral practices in our communities
COMPLICATIONS (SEQUALAE) FOLLOWING LASS
FEVER INFECTION
Deafness, Abortion, fetal death, Hair loss, Loss of
coordination, Multiple organ failure. Death.
WHEN WILL YOU SUSPECT THAT YOU HAVE
LASSA FEVER?
If you have sudden, continuous high fever that
does not respond appropriate anti-malarial and
antibiotics, accompanied by neck/facial swelling,
sore throat, chest pain and bleeding (from gums,
nose, vagina or hemoptysis).
If you suspect any case of LASSA FEVER please
go the nearest health center or hospital.
Sunday, 24 January 2016
LASSA FEVER: PROTECT YOURSELF, FAMILY AND
FRIENDS
Lassa fever is a severe, life-threatening acute
viral hemorrhagic fever caused by a virus that
belongs to the family called arenaviridae. Lassa
fever has an incubation period of 6-21 days.
Lassa fever is difficult to recognize and detect
easily with high case fatality rate without medical
intervention.
ORIGIN OF LASSA FEVER
Lassa fever was first discovered in 1969 in Lassa
community, Maiduguri, Borno state in Nigeria,
where it killed two missionary nurses. The disease
has since spread to other west African countries
like Guinea, Sierra Leone, Gambia etc.
CAUSE OF LASSAFEVER
Multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis); rat
with many breasts.
HOW LASSA FEVER CAN BE CONTRACTED
Primary mode :
1. Direct contact with infected rats
2. Consumption of food infected or contaminated
with excreta(urine or stool)of infected rats.
3. Consumption of infected rats
Secondary mode:
1. Through direct contact with infected blood or
bodily secretions/fluid (urine, stool, sores, cuts or
wounds and Fluid etc) or contaminated items
(medical patients, needles, dirty bed sheets)
formites or aerosole.
2. Through sexual intercourse with infected
person or those who have recovered from Lassa
fever.
WHO IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO LASSA FEVER
People of ll ages are susceptible. Pregnant women
are more likely to develop severe disease
especially in late pregnancy.
THOSE AT RISK OF CONTACTING LASSA FEVER
• Family members of Lassa fever patient
• Caretakers
• Traditional healers
• Medical & health care workers (high risk group)
• Patients receiving treatment from a health care
professional who is also treating Lassa fever
patients who is not appropriate infection control
measures
• Participants of traditional burial rituals
• Sexual partners of a Lassa fever survivor or a
suspected Lassa fever patient
• Hospital workers (Ward mate & laundry staff).
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF LASSA FEVER
Stage 1 (Days 1-3)
1. Generalized body weakness and malaise
2. Constant high fever (390c and above)
Stage 2 (days 4 – 7)
3. Sore throat white exudative pharyngitis
(patches)-very common. Headache
4. Back, chest, side and abdominal pain.
Conjunctivitis, Nausea and vomiting
5. Productive cough, proteinuria
6. Low blood pressure (systolic 100mmhg).
Anaemia
Stage 3 (8 – 14 days)
7. Neck and facial swelling (edema). Convulsions.
8. Internal bleeding. Encephalopathy with
confusion or disorientate.
9. Coma and death – after 14 days (stage 4)
TREATMENT/CURE FOR LASSA FEVER
1. Supportive treatment/psychological care using
PPE, observing SOP and universal precautionary
measures)
2. Drug treatment- (RIBAVIRIN) for 10days.
Intravenous Ribavirin is most effective if given in
the first 6 days of illness.
HOW LASSA FEVER CAN BE PREVENTED AND
CONTROLLED
1. Avoid bush burning
2. Ensure rats are killed or put away from homes.
3. Avoid contact with rats
4. Personal hygiene (wash hands with soap and
water)
5. Ensure that foods and food stuff are safe and
always covered
6. Stop the consumption of rats (especially rats
with many breast)
7. General environmental sanitation
8. Health education/community sensitization and
awareness creation.
9. Hygienic funeral practices in our communities
COMPLICATIONS (SEQUALAE) FOLLOWING LASS
FEVER INFECTION
Deafness, Abortion, fetal death, Hair loss, Loss of
coordination, Multiple organ failure. Death.
WHEN WILL YOU SUSPECT THAT YOU HAVE
LASSA FEVER?
If you have sudden, continuous high fever that
does not respond appropriate anti-malarial and
antibiotics, accompanied by neck/facial swelling,
sore throat, chest pain and bleeding (from gums,
nose, vagina or hemoptysis).
If you suspect any case of LASSA FEVER please
go the nearest health center or hospital.
FRIENDS
Lassa fever is a severe, life-threatening acute
viral hemorrhagic fever caused by a virus that
belongs to the family called arenaviridae. Lassa
fever has an incubation period of 6-21 days.
Lassa fever is difficult to recognize and detect
easily with high case fatality rate without medical
intervention.
ORIGIN OF LASSA FEVER
Lassa fever was first discovered in 1969 in Lassa
community, Maiduguri, Borno state in Nigeria,
where it killed two missionary nurses. The disease
has since spread to other west African countries
like Guinea, Sierra Leone, Gambia etc.
CAUSE OF LASSAFEVER
Multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis); rat
with many breasts.
HOW LASSA FEVER CAN BE CONTRACTED
Primary mode :
1. Direct contact with infected rats
2. Consumption of food infected or contaminated
with excreta(urine or stool)of infected rats.
3. Consumption of infected rats
Secondary mode:
1. Through direct contact with infected blood or
bodily secretions/fluid (urine, stool, sores, cuts or
wounds and Fluid etc) or contaminated items
(medical patients, needles, dirty bed sheets)
formites or aerosole.
2. Through sexual intercourse with infected
person or those who have recovered from Lassa
fever.
WHO IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO LASSA FEVER
People of ll ages are susceptible. Pregnant women
are more likely to develop severe disease
especially in late pregnancy.
THOSE AT RISK OF CONTACTING LASSA FEVER
• Family members of Lassa fever patient
• Caretakers
• Traditional healers
• Medical & health care workers (high risk group)
• Patients receiving treatment from a health care
professional who is also treating Lassa fever
patients who is not appropriate infection control
measures
• Participants of traditional burial rituals
• Sexual partners of a Lassa fever survivor or a
suspected Lassa fever patient
• Hospital workers (Ward mate & laundry staff).
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF LASSA FEVER
Stage 1 (Days 1-3)
1. Generalized body weakness and malaise
2. Constant high fever (390c and above)
Stage 2 (days 4 – 7)
3. Sore throat white exudative pharyngitis
(patches)-very common. Headache
4. Back, chest, side and abdominal pain.
Conjunctivitis, Nausea and vomiting
5. Productive cough, proteinuria
6. Low blood pressure (systolic 100mmhg).
Anaemia
Stage 3 (8 – 14 days)
7. Neck and facial swelling (edema). Convulsions.
8. Internal bleeding. Encephalopathy with
confusion or disorientate.
9. Coma and death – after 14 days (stage 4)
TREATMENT/CURE FOR LASSA FEVER
1. Supportive treatment/psychological care using
PPE, observing SOP and universal precautionary
measures)
2. Drug treatment- (RIBAVIRIN) for 10days.
Intravenous Ribavirin is most effective if given in
the first 6 days of illness.
HOW LASSA FEVER CAN BE PREVENTED AND
CONTROLLED
1. Avoid bush burning
2. Ensure rats are killed or put away from homes.
3. Avoid contact with rats
4. Personal hygiene (wash hands with soap and
water)
5. Ensure that foods and food stuff are safe and
always covered
6. Stop the consumption of rats (especially rats
with many breast)
7. General environmental sanitation
8. Health education/community sensitization and
awareness creation.
9. Hygienic funeral practices in our communities
COMPLICATIONS (SEQUALAE) FOLLOWING LASS
FEVER INFECTION
Deafness, Abortion, fetal death, Hair loss, Loss of
coordination, Multiple organ failure. Death.
WHEN WILL YOU SUSPECT THAT YOU HAVE
LASSA FEVER?
If you have sudden, continuous high fever that
does not respond appropriate anti-malarial and
antibiotics, accompanied by neck/facial swelling,
sore throat, chest pain and bleeding (from gums,
nose, vagina or hemoptysis).
If you suspect any case of LASSA FEVER please
go the nearest health center or hospital.
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