• QUESTION 1: What does Lassa fever do to the body?
• QUESTION 2: What causes Lassa fever virus?
• QUESTION 3: How does someone get Lassa fever?
• QUESTION 4: Is Lassa fever curable?

ANSWERS

• Lassa virus primarily targets endothelial cells which line the blood vessels, and cells of the immune system. Some individuals may show no symptom, while some show varying symptoms including fever, weakness and fatigue, headache, muscle aches, sore throat, cough, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, abdominal pain, chest pain and bleeding.

• Lassa fever is caused by the Lassa virus. It is spread to humans through multimammate rats, found in West Africa where it is endemic.

• Lassa fever is transmitted through contact with the urine or feces of infected multimammate rats. It can also spread from person to person through direct contact with bodily fluids (such as blood, urine, feces or saliva) of infected individuals.

• There is no specific cure for Lassa fever, but early treatment with general antiviral medications can be used to treat it. Usually, the body must heal itself from the virus with nutritional and electrolyte support. 

Oluwafela Oluwadamilola