LASSA FEVER: CAUSES, PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGMENT

Acute viral hemorrhagic fever, known as Lassa, was first identified in 1969 in the town of Lassa, Borno State, Nigeria. Lassa is located in the valley of the Yeseram River near the southern end of Lake Chad. Three weeks after being infected with Lassa virus, patients feel sick. Pathogenesis is associated with immunosuppression, uncontrolled viral replication and host response, and infection does not cause lytic damage. Lassa viruses disable the host\\\'s immune system in several ways. The typical endosomal trafficking pathway essential for innate immune system recognition is bypassed. The most useful way for diagnosis is polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from blood. Sensitivity was reported as 79 % on the first day of hospitalization, increasing to 100 % on the third day. One of the most effective approaches to contain the spread of Lassa fever in endemic areas is to improve community cleanliness.