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.
Please Nigerians Protect Yourself, family and community from this deadly disease, LASSA FEVER.
This message is Powered By Department of Disease control services, Rivers state Primary Health care Management Board.
Awareness by Corper Christian C. Ozor
No comments:
Post a Comment