Lassa fever history and symptoms

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [2]; Ammu Susheela, M.D. [3]

Synonyms and keywords: Lassa hemorrhagic fever; LHF

Overview

Lassa fever after an incubation period of six to twenty-one days, manifest as an acute illness with multiorgan involvement and patients present with gastrointestinal, neurological and pulmonary symptoms.

Common Symptoms

Common symptoms of Lassa fever are often non-specific symptoms that resemble symptoms of other viral infections:

• Fever
• Headache
• Malaise
• Muscle pain
• Chest pain
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Sore throat
• Back pain
• Cough
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea (may be bloody)
• Mucosal bleeding
• Hearing loss

• The following graph demonstrates the common and rare symptoms associated with Lassa fever:

Signs and symptoms Lassa Fever[1]

Less Common Symptoms

Less common symptoms of Lassa fever usually develop late and are often associated with a more severe course of disease.

Skin

• Jaundic

HEENT

• Sore throat
• Facial edema
• Neck swelling

Gastrointestinal tract

• Hematemesis
• Constipation
• Dysphagia

Cardiovascular system

• Hypotension or shock
• Palpitations

Respiratory tract

• Dyspnea
• Hemoptysis
• Cough

Nervous system

• Tremor
• Confusion
• Seizure

Diagnosis

The current case definition for suspecting Lassa fever is as follows:

Unexplained fever at least 38oC or 100.4oF for one week or more
And 1 of the following:
▸ No response to standard treatment with the choice of regimen for most likely cause of fever (malaria, typhoid fever).
▸ Readmitted within 3 weeks of inpatient care for an illness with fever.
And 1 of the following
▸ Edema or bleeding.
▸ Sore throat and retrosternal pain/vomiting.
▸ Spontaneous abortion following fever.
▸ Hearing loss following fever.

References

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