Stop The Spread of Lassa Fever now-know the Cause and Symptoms

 

 Symptoms of Lassa fever

The incubation period of Lassa fever ranges from 6-21 days. The onset of the disease, when it is symptomatic, is usually gradual, starting with fever, general weakness, and malaise. After a few days, headache, sore throat, muscle pain, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cough, and abdominal pain may follow. In severe cases facial swelling, fluid in the lung cavity, bleeding from the mouth, nose, vagina or gastrointestinal tract and low blood pressure may develop. Protein may be noted in the urine. Shock, seizures, tremor, disorientation, and coma may be seen in the later stages. Deafness occurs in 25% of patients who survive the disease. In half of these cases, hearing returns partially after 1-3 months. Transient hair loss and gait disturbance may occur during recovery.
Death usually occurs within 14 days of onset in fatal cases. The disease is especially severe late in pregnancy, with maternal death and/or fetal loss occurring in greater than 80% of cases during the third trimester.

Facts: Lassa fever

While most humans are infected either from contact with an infected rat or inhalation of air contaminated with rat excretions, like other hemorrhagic fevers, Lassa fever can be transmitted directly from one human to another. It can be contracted through direct contact with infected human blood excretions and secretions, including through sexual contact. No evidence of airborne transmission person-to-person is seen. Transmission through breast milk has also been observed.

PREVENTION

1)      Clean your house inside and out:

Rodents will come to your house for food and water. If your house have improper food waste disposal or you don’t covered your garbage bin correctly, the mouse or any rodents will be the pest around your house and spreading the virus at the same time.

Clean your house every day inside and out to avoid any traces of infected rodents. Burn the garbage if you can or disposed it in the correct and safe procedure. Never let any food waste scatter around the house because it can attract the rodents. Make sure your house is always clean and clutter free to ensure you are not providing the rodents the food and place to live in your house.

2) Never clean the rodents dropping or stool, urine or dead body with bare hands:

While you are cleaning, you might found this around your house. For your safety and to avoid the virus transmission, you have to always wear personal protection equipment while you are cleaning your house from rodents dropping, urine, secretions and the decaying dead body of the animal. Wear a plastic hand glove and top it with a latex glove for extra protection while you are cleaning your house. Wear a single use plastic apron to protect your clothes and body. Wear a high knee boot to protect your feet from stepping on the infected dead body of the animal and its body secretion. Use the antibacterial detergent or antibacterial soap to clean your house floor and surfaces.

3) Personal Hygiene:

Never touch your kids or family at home before you clean your hands and change your clothes after cleaning your house or you just back from work outside. Never recycle your plastic hand gloves and single use apron after cleaning the house with it. Dispose it safely in a plastic bag or burn it. Ask your children to take their bath after back from school. Never touch a baby or a pregnant woman if you are not cleaning your hands or take a bath with soap after back from work or cleaning the house area. Make sure you wash your hand with soap and water before eating as well.

     Please go to hospital immediately you noticed any of these symptoms or take the person to hospital immediately..Please share this information to stop the spread of Lassa fever...