Causes of Lassa fever and methods of its prevention ~ Zeniths Blog

Causes of Lassa fever and methods of its prevention

With the recent outbreaks of Lassa fever, it’s important to remind ourselves of the threat that this disease poses towards the Nigerian population. The old proverb “to be forewarned is to be forearmed” is the perfect illustration of the approach you need to incorporate to deal with this virus. If you’d like to find out about the causes of Lassa fever and its prevention, continue reading below!

Causes of Lassa fever

Lassa fever is a serious and widely-spread disease that is found in countries in West Africa. This is a virus that attacks the human blood, liver, and spleen. Lassa fever spreads equally among people of all ages and both sexes, although people that reside in rural areas are more likely to get infected. The risks are even higher if you live in a crowded, messy environment.

Interesting fact: This virus was discovered in 1969 when it took away the lives of two nurses. It was named after the Lassa town in Borno State, Nigeria.

This disease is of a zootonic type, meaning that it’s mostly spread by animals. The primary carrier of Lassa fever is the Mastomys rat. These rodents are known to reproduce very quickly and can be easily found in the savannas and forests of West Africa. To make matters even worse, Mastomys rats have a tendency to flood populated areas and invade people’s homes.

Let’s list the five causes of Lassa fever transmission to humans:

The virus is contained in the urine and feces of the rodents. Thus, the Lassa fever can be caught if you come in contact with any of these substances.
The disease can also spread through cuts and sores, as it finds its way into the human body.
You can get infected by Lassa fever if you eat contaminated food touched by either a Mastomys rat or another sick individual.
The virus can spread between people via contact with fluids (blood or urine) or other secretions of an ill person.
It is also dangerous to breathe directly near the rat’s excretions, as the air may contain small particles of the feces infected with the Lassa virus.

Add all of these causes together, and you can understand why this disease can spread like wildfire if left uncontrolled. Thankfully, there’s no evidence of the disease being transmitted in an airborne environment.

Human-to-human spreading can happen both in a social setting and in health-care conditions. The latter happens via infected medical supplies like already used needles etc. There have also been troubling reports concerning the sexual transmission of the Lassa virus.

Interesting fact: Between August 2015 and May 2016, the WHO has reported one of the biggest cases of the Lassa fever, with 149 deaths in Nigeria alone.

All of the information shared above is disturbing, to say the least. Sadly, Nigeria is one of the countries that suffers from this disease the most.

Lassa fever prevention

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The ever-returning outbreaks of the virus continue to be a troubling threat hanging over the population of Nigeria. Professional doctors claim that even one case of Lassa fever can be enough to cause an epidemic. Battling the Lassa virus has become a duty of every citizen of the country, as public hygiene becomes even more crucial.

Interesting fact: According to the data available in 2017, a grand total of 500 suspected cases were recorded, along with 104 deaths.

In order to protect both your health and the well-being of your fellow countrymen, you have to know how to prevent the possible development of Lassa fever.

As stated above, the central idea of Lassa fever prevention is the promotion of “community hygiene”. Nigerians must strive to do everything in their power to discourage the infected Mastomys rats from ever getting inside their homes. Since these rodents also live in forests, there’s no realistic way of exterminating them completely. The best we can hope for is to keep them out of our settlements.

We’ve prepared a comprehensible list of things you can do to prevent Lassa fever from spreading into your home or neighborhood:

Store grain and other types of food in containers that are inaccessible to rats and can’t be eaten-through;
Throw away the trash far from your home, so that the rodents don’t settle near you;
Consider getting a cat;
Strive to keep your home absolutely clean and uncluttered;
If you suspect that Mastomys rats may be in your vicinity, set up traps both in and around your house;
Avoid touching any type of bodily fluids when in contact with sick people;
If you are caring for someone infected with Lassa fever, always use a face mask, a clean long-sleeved coat, and gloves for absolute protection.

Now you know both the causes of the Lassa virus and how you can prevent it from spreading. Be sure to share this information with your friends and family, and try to incorporate all of the prevention habits yourself.

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