Lassa Virus is an acute infection of multiple organs. It has a 5-12 day incubation period then fever and weakness occur. As the infection progresses more specific symptoms begin to occur. These symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, coughing, chest pain, and bleeding of gums, nose and vagina. Seizures, meningitis, mental confusion are some of the neurological symptoms. In children this virus is harder to diagnose because the symptoms are more general. They include foaming at the mouth, abdominal distention, bleeding, and global edema. Lassa doesn’t discriminate between sexes, and both adults and children can get it even though there is less incidence of infection in children.

The Lassa Virus is in the arenaviridae family, pleomorphic in shape and spheroidal. It can now be treated with ribavirin, and works best if it is given within six days of getting a fever. The biggest side effect with this treatment is anemia. If the ribavirin is giving for ten days the mortality rate drops to 5%-9%. If the treatment was given after the first six days of fever the mortality rate is 26%-47%. Overall the mortality rate for those treated in the hospital is 15%. If one is to go untreated the rate of mortality is up to 60%.

Lassa Virus was first discovered in a village called Lassa in Nigeria. The virus has been seen in other areas of Africa but has generally been confined to West Africa. Lassa’s host is Mastomys natalensis, which is a small rodent seen in Africa, south of the Sahara. It is passed through the urine and saliva of the rodent, but can also be spread through contact or aerosols. Humans get infected by eating an infected rodent or by eating food that has been contaminated by the rodent. The most efficient way for one to get infected would be from a rodent bite. Low levels of sanitation promote the spread of this virus.

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