Prevention is the only bet for avoiding the onset of Lassa fever

GREATER KAILASH, India - July 19, 2018 - PRLog -- Earlier this year, Nigeria fell under the grip of a viral infection called the Lassa fever. Many people succumbed to the symptoms and died. This fever comes under the list of priority diseases enlisted by the World Health Organization (WHO). Apart from Nigeria, the Lassa virus is endemic in Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, and other countries in West Africa.

Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic illness caused by Lassa virus, a member of the Arenavirus family of viruses. It is a zoonotic disease. Rodents (multimammate rats) are the animal reservoirs and shed the virus in their urine and feces.

Speaking about this, Padma Shri Awardee, Dr K K Aggarwal, President, HCFI, said, "Humans acquire the infection from contact with infected rodents through rodent urine or feces, inhalation of aerosolized rodent excretions, or consumption of infected rodents as a food source. Person-to-person transmission can occur through direct contact with infectious body fluids (e. g., blood, urine, pharyngeal secretions, vomitus, or other body secretions), unprotected contact with potentially infectious material (e.g., touching vomitus) and mucosal exposure from splashes of body fluids. People with Lassa infection are not believed to be contagious prior to symptom onset. The incubation period of this fever is about 10 days (range 6-21 days)."

Initially, the symptoms are mild and include low-grade fever, general weakness, and malaise. This is followed by headache, sore throat, muscle pain, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cough, and abdominal pain. In severe disease, facial swelling, fluid in the lung cavity, bleeding from the mouth, nose, vagina or gastrointestinal tract and low blood pressure are present. Later stage may be characterized by shock, seizures, tremor, disorientation and coma.

Adding further, Dr Aggarwal, who is also the Group Editor of IJCP, said, "The overall case-fatality rate is 1%, while in hospitalized patients, the case-fatality rate is 15%. The diagnosis of this condition is usually supported by a relevant history of exposure along with suggestive signs and symptoms. It is possible to improve survival rates through early supportive care with rehydration and symptomatic treatment. However, there is currently no vaccine for this condition."

Indian doctors need to update their knowledge in view of a large number of Nigerian patients coming to India for treatment.

Some tips from HCFI

·       Avoiding rodents (multimammate rats).

·       Consider all patients as infectious even if signs and symptoms are mild.

·       All standard, contact, and droplet precautions as well as correct use of appropriate personal protective equipment should be strictly adhered to.

·       Blood and body fluid specimens from patients with suspected Lassa fever infection should be considered highly infectious. Caution should be exercised when handling such material.

·       Postexposure prophylaxis with oral ribavirin for contacts with known or suspected Lassa fever infection with risk factors for transmission such as penetrating needle stick injury, exposure of mucous membranes or broken skin to blood or body fluids, and participation in procedures involving exposure to bodily fluids or respiratory secretions without use of personal protective equipment.

-Ends -

About Heart Care Foundation of India

Initiated in 1986, the Heart Care Foundation of India is a leading National NGO working in the field of creating mass health awareness among people from all walks of life and providing solutions for India's everyday healthcare needs. The NGO uses consumer-based entertainment modules to impart health education and increase awareness amongst people. A leading example of this is the Perfect Health Mela; an annual event started in 1993 that is attended by over 2-3 lakh people each year. The Mela showcases activities across categories such as health education seminars and check-ups, entertainment programs, lifestyle exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and competitions. In addition to this, the NGO conducts programs and camps to train people on the technique of hands only CPR through its CPR 10 mantra for revival after a sudden cardiac arrest. They currently hold three Limca book of world records for the maximum number of people trained in hands-only CPR in one go. Keeping article 21 of the Indian Constitution in mind, which guarantees a person Right to Life, Heart Care Foundation of India has also recently initiated a project called the Sameer Malik Heart Care Foundation Fund to ensure that no one dies of a heart disease just because they cannot afford treatment.

For more information, please contact

Heart Care Foundation of India

Sanjeev Khanna-9871079105

Md Adib Ahmed- 9873716235

Email-      media.hcfi@gmail.com