The patient had quite recently gotten back to the US from West Africa, where the illness is endemic and behind an episode in Nigeria, where a sum of 9,500 thought and affirmed cases were accounted for this year.
Division of Wellbeing said the patient had no side effects while voyaging, adding the gamble of transmission was 'very low' as individuals are just infectious when they have side effects.
They didn't uncover when the patient began to endure side effects, or when they got back to Iowa, and didn't express whether there were any nearby contacts.
Be that as it may, the Iowa case actually ignited worries among wellbeing specialists.
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Lassa fever is an extreme viral disease that leaves patients experiencing side effects in something like seven days to three weeks of contamination.
The infection is endemic to West African nations including Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria - where it is spreading.
Specialists say this might be because of a multiplication in the quantity of rodents in the country that convey the contamination, called Mastomys rodents, raising the gamble of a human disease.
Lassa fever was first discovered in 1969 in a small town called Lassa, in Nigeria. The virus was named after this town where it first emerged. It’s a viral illness spread mainly through contact with infected rodents, especially a type of rat common in West Africa, the Mastomys rat.
The Surprising Find
The discovery of Lassa fever came about almost by accident. In 1969, two missionary nurses working in Nigeria fell severely ill. Their symptoms included fever, fatigue, muscle pain, and bleeding—a set of signs that baffled doctors. Unfortunately, one of the nurses passed away, but her illness led scientists to investigate further. By studying her symptoms and tissue samples, they identified a new virus responsible for her illness. This was the Lassa virus, which belongs to a group of viruses known as Arenaviridae.
Transmission by Rodents: Lassa fever is primarily spread by rats. People can get infected by touching items or food contaminated with rat droppings or urine, or even through tiny cuts in the skin. In some cases, the virus can also spread from person to person through direct contact with the bodily fluids of someone who’s infected.
Symptoms and Severity: Many people infected with Lassa virus don’t show severe symptoms, which can make it difficult to detect early. However, in serious cases, symptoms appear within 1–3 weeks, ranging from mild fever and fatigue to life-threatening bleeding and organ failure.
Geographic Impact: Lassa fever is mostly found in West Africa, in countries like Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea. It’s estimated that there are over 300,000 cases each year, with around 5,000 deaths.
Prevention and Challenges: Since the virus is transmitted through rodents, prevention strategies focus on controlling rodent populations and educating people about safe food storage. However, the lack of healthcare infrastructure in certain regions makes it hard to contain outbreaks.
Accidental Discovery: Like the discovery of penicillin, the identification of Lassa fever came unexpectedly. It was the tragic case of a nurse that led to a closer look, which resulted in the discovery of a new virus.
- Similar Diseases: Lassa fever is part of a group of diseases known as hemorrhagic fevers, which include Ebola and Marburg viruses. However, unlike Ebola, Lassa fever has a much lower fatality rate but spreads more widely due to its mild symptoms in most cases.
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- #PublicHealthAwareness
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- #VirusDiscovery
- #LassaVirus
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