A middle-aged Iowa man who recently traveled to West Africa has died from Lassa fever, state health officials confirmed Monday.
“I want to assure Iowans that the risk of infection is incredibly low in Iowa,” Dr. Robert Kruse, state medical director for the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, said in a news release. “We are continuing to investigate and monitor this situation and are implementing the necessary public health protocols.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local public health partners are working to identify anyone who “may have had close contact with the patient in an abundance of caution for surveillance,” the release added.
What is Lassa fever?
Lassa fever is a virus found primarily throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Health officials say it is spread by the West African polymammalian rat, which is the only species currently known to carry Lassa virus.
According to the World Health Organization, the viral disease develops rapidly after infection, with an incubation period of 2 to 21 days.
In the past 55 years, only eight travel-related Lassa fever cases have been reported in the United States. In 2015, New Jersey man dies After being diagnosed with the virus.
According to the CDC, there are about 100,000 to 300,000 cases of Lassa fever in West Africa each year, and about 5,000 deaths.
How does Lassa fever spread?
Lassa fever can be transmitted through contact with infected rats or their saliva, urine, or feces, and can occur through contaminated food or household items.
Infection can also spread between people after contact with the body fluids of an infected person. It is not transmitted through everyday contact such as hugging, shaking hands, or sitting close to someone.
The CDC notes that “people with Lassa fever are not contagious until they develop symptoms.”
The University of Iowa Health System, where the resident was treated, said the patient was treated in a special pathogen unit, an isolation ward designed to safely handle infectious diseases, and that the hospital “remains a safe place.” He assured the people. To receive care. ”
The CDC said the person “was not sick during the trip and therefore the risk to airline passengers is very low.”
Although no human-to-human transmission has been reported in the United States, the CDC is urging increased isolation precautions for viral hemorrhagic fevers like Lassa virus.
Lassa fever symptoms
Lassa fever can be fatal, but most people experience only mild symptoms, such as a low-grade fever, fatigue, weakness, and headache. These common symptoms are similar to many other illnesses, and health officials say most people with mild symptoms are never diagnosed.
According to the WHO, about one in five infected people will become seriously ill.
In some people, it can cause bleeding, vomiting, difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, and pain in the back, chest, or abdomen.
The overall case fatality rate for the disease is about 1%, but “it can reach 15% or more in patients hospitalized with severe symptoms,” according to the WHO.
Health officials said treatment may include an antiviral drug called ribavirin, which is most effective when given early, and supportive care such as painkillers and hydration to ease symptoms. There is.
Alexander Tin contributed to this report.
