LASSA FEVER: A threat to Nigerian's health

  Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria has being a disturbing health issue. Lets discuss a little about this.
 Lassa fever also known as Lassa Hemorrhagic Fever (LHF) is a virus which is caused by Lassa virus and can be traced back to the year 1969, in a town called Lassa in Borno state, Nigeria.
 This disease has spread to over four countries including Guinea, Sierra Leone,  Liberia, and also the Central African Republic.  The primary hosts of Lassa virus is the Natal Multimammate mouse popularly known aa "long mouthed rat" in Nigeria.

How does this disease spread ?
 This virus is transmitted when in contact with faeces or urine of animals (rodents and humans) accessing food stores in homes. Then humans consume contaminated food.

The signs and symptoms 
  The symptoms of this virus are complicating, it involves fever, fatigue, facial swelling, conjunctivitis,  and muscular bleeding. Also it might beas complex as vomiting blood, diarrhea,  stomach ache, constipation, Dysphagia, Hepatitis. All these are some of the symptoms of this dreaded disease.

How to prevent Lassa fever
 It is a simple formula, since it is known known to us that Lassa fever is caused by Natal Multimammate mouse (rat) and this animal inhabits dirty environment, so you need to keep your environment clean and mantain a good standard of personal hygiene. Also avoid contact with blood and  body fluids while caring for infected persons.

Nigeria and Lassa fever
 In Nigeria this outbreak has affected over seventeen states and had over 212 cases. Recently
 the minister of health, Nigeria Prof. Isaac Foluronso has promised that the Federal Government will activate 5, 000 primary healthcare centres before December. The most affected states in Nigeria include Niger, Nassarawa, Taraba, Plateau,  Bauchi and Ondo state.

Remember; the sure way to prevent Lassa fever is by keeping your environment clean.

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