Lassa fever differential diagnosis: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Joao Silva (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
Joao Silva (talk | contribs) |
||
| Line 6: | Line 6: | ||
==Differentiating Lassa fever from other Diseases== | ==Differentiating Lassa fever from other Diseases== | ||
The table below summarizes the findings that differentiate [[Lassa fever]] from other conditions that cause [[fever]] and [[hemorrhage]]: | |||
{| style="border: 0px; font-size: 90%; margin: 3px;" align=center | |||
|+ | |||
! style="background: #4479BA; width: 120px;" | {{fontcolor|#FFF|Disease}} | |||
! style="background: #4479BA; width: 550px;" | {{fontcolor|#FFF|Findings}} | |||
|- | |||
| style="padding: 5px 5px; background: #DCDCDC;" | '''[[Ebola]]''' | |||
| style="padding: 5px 5px; background: #F5F5F5;" | Presents with [[fever]], [[chills]] [[vomiting]], [[diarrhea]], generalized [[pain]] or [[malaise]], and sometimes [[Internal bleeding|internal]] and external [[bleeding]], that follow an [[incubation period]] of 2-21 days. | |||
|- | |||
| style="padding: 5px 5px; background: #DCDCDC;" | '''[[Typhoid fever]]''' | |||
| style="padding: 5px 5px; background: #F5F5F5;" | Presents with [[fever]], [[headache]], [[rash]], gastrointestinal symptoms, with [[lymphadenopathy]], relative [[bradycardia]], [[cough]] and [[leucopenia]] and sometimes [[sore throat]]. [[Blood]] and [[stool culture]] can confirm the presence of the causative bacteria. | |||
|- | |||
| style="padding: 5px 5px; background: #DCDCDC;" |'''[[Malaria]]''' | |||
| style="padding: 5px 5px; background: #F5F5F5;" |Presents with acute [[fever]], [[headache]] and sometimes [[diarrhea]] (children). A [[blood smear]]s must be examined for malaria parasites. The presence of [[parasites]] does not exclude a concurrent viral infection. An [[antimalarial]] should be prescribed as an [[empiric therapy]]. | |||
|- | |||
| style="padding: 5px 5px; background: #DCDCDC;" | '''[[Lassa fever]]''' | |||
| style="padding: 5px 5px; background: #F5F5F5;" |Disease onset is usually gradual, with [[fever]], [[sore throat]], [[cough]], [[pharyngitis]], and [[facial edema]] in the later stages. [[Inflammation]] and exudation of the [[pharynx]] and [[conjunctiva]] are common. | |||
|- | |||
| style="padding: 5px 5px; background: #DCDCDC;" | '''[[Yellow fever]] and other [[Flaviviridae]] ''' | |||
| style="padding: 5px 5px; background: #F5F5F5;" | Present with [[hemorrhage|hemorrhagic]] complications. [[Epidemiological]] investigation may reveal a pattern of disease [[transmission]] by an insect vector. Virus isolation and serological investigation serves to distinguish these [[viruses]]. Confirmed history of previous [[yellow fever]] [[vaccination]] will rule out [[yellow fever]]. | |||
|- | |||
| style="padding: 5px 5px; background: #DCDCDC;" | '''Others''' | |||
| style="padding: 5px 5px; background: #F5F5F5;" |[[Viral hepatitis]], [[leptospirosis]], [[rheumatic fever]], [[typhus]], and [[mononucleosis]] can produce [[signs]] and [[symptoms]] that may be confused with [[Ebola]] in the early stages of [[infection]]. | |||
|- | |||
|} | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 15:50, 14 July 2014
|
Lassa fever Microchapters |
|
Diagnosis |
|---|
|
Treatment |
|
Case Studies |
|
Lassa fever differential diagnosis On the Web |
|
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Lassa fever differential diagnosis |
|
Risk calculators and risk factors for Lassa fever differential diagnosis |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: João André Alves Silva, M.D. [2]
Overview
Clinically, Lassa fever infections are difficult to distinguish from other viral hemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola and Marburg, and from more common febrile illnesses such as malaria.
Differentiating Lassa fever from other Diseases
The table below summarizes the findings that differentiate Lassa fever from other conditions that cause fever and hemorrhage:
| Disease | Findings |
|---|---|
| Ebola | Presents with fever, chills vomiting, diarrhea, generalized pain or malaise, and sometimes internal and external bleeding, that follow an incubation period of 2-21 days. |
| Typhoid fever | Presents with fever, headache, rash, gastrointestinal symptoms, with lymphadenopathy, relative bradycardia, cough and leucopenia and sometimes sore throat. Blood and stool culture can confirm the presence of the causative bacteria. |
| Malaria | Presents with acute fever, headache and sometimes diarrhea (children). A blood smears must be examined for malaria parasites. The presence of parasites does not exclude a concurrent viral infection. An antimalarial should be prescribed as an empiric therapy. |
| Lassa fever | Disease onset is usually gradual, with fever, sore throat, cough, pharyngitis, and facial edema in the later stages. Inflammation and exudation of the pharynx and conjunctiva are common. |
| Yellow fever and other Flaviviridae | Present with hemorrhagic complications. Epidemiological investigation may reveal a pattern of disease transmission by an insect vector. Virus isolation and serological investigation serves to distinguish these viruses. Confirmed history of previous yellow fever vaccination will rule out yellow fever. |
| Others | Viral hepatitis, leptospirosis, rheumatic fever, typhus, and mononucleosis can produce signs and symptoms that may be confused with Ebola in the early stages of infection. |