Overview
Lassa fever is a viral illness spread mainly through food or household items contaminated by infected multimammate rats, with outbreaks reported in several Nigerian states most dry seasons. Early symptoms look like malaria or typhoid, which is why a fever that does not respond to antimalarials needs urgent review. Early hospital treatment greatly improves survival.
Symptoms
- Fever and general weakness
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Muscle and chest pain
- Nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea
- Bleeding from gums, nose or other sites (late, severe sign)
- Hearing problems during recovery
Causes & risk factors
- Contact with food or surfaces contaminated by rat urine or droppings
- Eating rats or poorly stored grains
- Contact with body fluids of an infected person
- Poor food storage that attracts rodents
Treatment & self-care
Suspected Lassa fever needs immediate referral to a hospital or designated treatment centre, where antiviral treatment and supportive care are given under isolation. Do not self-medicate at home. Store food in covered containers, keep the home rat-free and report unusual fevers early.
See a doctor urgently if
- Fever not improving after a completed, confirmed malaria treatment
- Fever with sore throat, vomiting and severe weakness
- Any unusual bleeding from gums, nose, eyes or in urine or stool
- Fever after contact with rats or with a sick person from an outbreak area
This condition can be an emergency. If any of the signs above are severe or getting worse, go to the nearest emergency room now or call 112 or 199 — do not wait for an online consultation.