Facts about Lassa fever

Lassa fever is a zoonotic disease endemic in West Africa but with no previous case reported in Ghana. We describe the first two laboratory confirmed cases of Lassa fever from the Ashanti Region of Ghana detected in October and December, 2011.

The most current cases was confirmed February,2023 as there is case tracing on going

Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness of 2-21 days duration that occurs in West Africa.

The Lassa virus is transmitted to humans via contact with food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or faeces.

Person-to-person infections and laboratory transmission can also occur, particularly in hospitals lacking adequate infection prevention and control measures.

Lassa fever is known to be endemic in West African countries such as Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria just to name a few despite probably endemic in other west African countries.

The overall case-fatality rate is 1%. Observed case-fatality rate among patients

hospitalized with severe cases of Lassa fever is 15%.

Early supportive care with rehydration and symptomatic treatment improves survival.

Most common symptoms of Lassa Fever infection are;

Fever

General weakness and malaise

Headache

Sore throat

Muscle pain

Chest pain

Nausea

Vomiting

Diarrhoea

Cough

Abdominal pain

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. Further lab test will indicate protein presence in 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 more than 80% of cases during the third trimester.