Sunday, March 4, 2012
Saturday, March 3, 2012
LASSA FEVER, RATS & YOU
Lassa fever is an acute
viral haemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus. It was first described in
1969 in the town of Lassa in Borno State, Nigeria in the Yedseram river valley
at the South end of Lake Chad.
Apart from Nigeria,
outbreaks of the disease have been observed in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea
and the Central African Republic.
The Primary host of the
Lassa virus is the Natal Multimammate mouse (Mastomys natalensis).
MODE
OF TRANSMISSION
- The virus can be transmitted by contact with faeces or urine of infected rats accessing food stuffs, edibles and water.
- Inhaling tiny particles of infected materials (aerosols).
- Exposure of broken skin or mucous membranes directly to infected materials.
- Through an infected person to person.
- Through airborne route or with direct contact with infected human blood, urine or semen.
- Through breast milk.
Further research by scientists
stipulates that it poses serious health risk for health workers.
According to Lassa
fever research statements, the virus is so potent that it will affect almost
every tissue in the human body. It starts with the mucosa, intestine, lungs and
urinary system and then progresses to the vascular system.
SYMPTOMS
·
Fever
·
Facial swellings
·
Muscle fatigue
·
Conjunctivitis
·
Mucosal bleeding
·
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, chest pain
and so on.
PREVENTION
1. Keep
rodents (rats) out of homes, water and food supplies.
2. Improve
and maintain effective personal and environmental hygiene.
3. Gloves,
masks, laboratory coats, goggles e.t.c. are advised to be used while in contact
with an infected person.
TREATMENT
Report
any case of infection to the health care centre nearest to you.
Also,
during an awareness rally by the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide
Idris, he urged everyone to adhere to the preventive measures so as to prevent
an outbreak of the disease in the State.
…all about positive
influence.
Get
Involved!
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