#AIR-CLINIC WRITING CONTEST 13: THE LASSA FEVER STORY

Lassa fever is an acute and often viral infection found in the tropics,occurring mainly in West Africa. The illness was initially discovered in 1969 when two nurses died in Nigeria,the virus was then named after the town where it first occured.

• CAUSES OF LASSA FEVER

Lassa fever is caused by a RNA virus that is animal borne. The main host of the virus is a rodent known as the multimamatte rat. People can get affected by eating this rat,or by eating food contaminated by the rat,it can also be spread through person-to-person contact( when a person comes in contact with an infected person).

• SYMPTOMS OF LASSA FEVER

The first symptoms usually occur 1-3 weeks after the person gets infected with the virus,these symptoms are:

• Hemorrhaging

• High fever

• Seizures

• Diarrhea

• sore throat

• Conjunctivitis

• Abdominal pain

• Facial swelling

• Back pain

• Vomiting

• General weakness.

• PREVENTION OF LASSA FEVER

• Avoid contact with the host

• Put food in rodent proof containers

• Keep the home clean always to prevent rodents from entering the house

• Create awareness

• Facts about Lassa Fever

• Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria and Guinea are most affected by the lassa fever

• Lassa fever causes about 5000 death per year

• Rodents spread the disease through their urine and faeces

• About 20 percentage of lassa fever hospitalizations end in death

• Research is presently being made to make a vaccine for lassa fever.

• The antiviral drug ribavirin is used for treatment of lassa fever.

Word count:274 words

Thank you for taking your time to read this post, please join @air-clinic on discord

https://discord.gg/rqded5m