Going into the holidays, staying healthy is top of mind. That could mean taking immunity supplements, drinking a daily glass of orange juice, getting the flu vaccine, or avoiding big crowds where airborne illnesses, like COVID-19, are likely to spread. But now, there’s a new deadly virus that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is tracking. Lassa fever is a rare but growing rat-borne illness that’s made landfall in the U.S., and now health experts are urging the public to stay vigilant of these symptoms.
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Lassa fever was first detected in West Africa, specifically Nigeria, in 1969. According to the CDC, it’s spread through infected rodents that carry the disease in their urine and fecal droppings. However, it can also become widespread in rodent colonies when breeding occurs.
The rats that carry the Lassa virus are native to West Africa, but humans can catch the disease from breathing in the virus (this can occur when cleaning or sweeping urine or droppings) or coming in contact with an infected rodent and/or object, says the CDC. Additionally, these rats generally live in “areas where peoples’ food supplies are stored,” so tampered pantry items could also put you at risk.
According to the CDC, eight in 10 people who come in contact with Lassa fever experience mild symptoms and go undiagnosed. Since 1969, eight travel-associated cases of Lassa fever have been recorded in the U.S.
Most recently, a middle-aged Iowa resident received care for Lassa fever at the University of Iowa Health Care’s Special Pathogen Unit, a quarantined hospital wing for patients diagnosed with threatening infectious diseases. On Oct. 28, state health officials confirmed the patient’s death.
"I want to assure Iowans that the risk of transmission is incredibly low in our state," Robert Kruse, MD, state medical director of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, said in a news release. "We continue to investigate and monitor this situation and are implementing the necessary public health protocols."
It was revealed that the deceased had recently returned from West Africa, where officials believe they contracted the virus. Before this case, a New Jersey man died from multiple organ failure after being diagnosed with the infectious disease, reported CBS News in 2015. In previous years, positive cases of Lassa fever were reported in Minnesota and Pennsylvania.
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Lassa fever can come on quickly once someone is infected, with symptoms showing up within 48 hours, says the World Health Organization (WHO). Onset symptoms include fever and general weakness, but other known symptoms include headache, sore throat, muscle pain, chest pain, nausea and vomiting, cough, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
These symptoms can be monitored at home if mild. However, in more severe circumstances, facial swelling, lung fluid, low blood pressure, and bleeding from the mouth, nose, genitals, or gastrointestinal tract may occur. In advanced cases, shock, seizures, tremors, and disorientation can happen, per WHO.
One out of three infected humans will experience some type of hearing loss. “Deafness can occur in both mild and severe cases of Lassa fever. In many cases, the hearing loss is permanent,” says the CDC.
Tell-tale signs of Lassa fever typically kick in quickly, but there is a three-week incubation period. Fortunately, the antiviral drug Ribavirin can help alleviate symptoms. However, you should seek immediate medical attention in cases of more serious symptoms.
