British health officials are investigating whether a viral disease, lassa fever, can spread to Britain with similar symptoms as Ebola. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed that a person traveling from Nigeria to England was diagnosed after returning to Nigeria while infected with Nigeria. UKHSA is now working to identify individuals who can come in contact with the person affected during their stay in the UK.
Lassa fever is transmitted through direct contact with blood, urine or stool of infected rodents, or from the person to the person through physiological fluids. Officers continue to monitor the situation and take the necessary precautions to prevent further spreading. As the UK officials monitor the cases of potential lassa fever, it is important to understand the symptoms and how the virus spreads.
What are the symptoms of lasa fever and how does it spread?
How it spreads
As Britain Health Protection Agency, The disease caused by the Lasa virus, Lasa fever, was first described in the 1950s. In 1969, the virus was identified after 2 missionary nurses in the Nigerian city of Lasa. Lasa fever is found regularly in West Africa, especially Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and parts of Sierra Leone). The Lasa virus is performed by a particular type of rodent, mastomis rodent, which occurs in high numbers in these countries.
In these affected countries, the most common method for people to catch the Lasa virus is through contaminated food or breathing in the virus. People can also be infected with droplets of infected rodents, for example, on floor, house surfaces, or in food or water. Some people eat mastomis, and they can catch the Lasa virus while catching and preparing these rodents.
The Lasa virus does not spread easily among people. It spreads from one person to another if they have contact with the fluid of a person’s body, which has lasas fever, such as blood, saliva, urine or semen.
Symptoms of lasa fever
As Britain Health Protection Agency, Most people who receive lasa fever have mild symptoms and make complete recovery. However, in some cases the virus can cause more severe illness and death.
- Light symptoms of lasa fever include:
- Fever (high temperature) and shiver
- Tired and weak
- Headache
- Generalized pain
- sore throat
- More severe symptoms include:
- To bleed
- Breathing difficulty
- vomit
- facial swelling
- Chest, back and abdominal pain
Symptoms usually occur between 1 to 3 weeks after contact with the Lasa virus.
Pregnant women are at risk of getting seriously ill if they catch lasa fever, especially in the third trimester. Catching the virus in pregnancy increases the chances of stilling and miscarriage, as well as more likely to death for serious complications and pregnant women.
