Emmanuel Ifeanyi Obeagu, Matthew Chibunna Igwe, Zaina Kalyankolo, Chimaobi Chukwuemeka Nwankpa, Byamungu Pahari Kagenderezo and Getrude Uzoma Obeagu
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.
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Abdulwasiu Oladele Hassan, Ifeyi, Gladys Precious, Abolaji Tolulope Adeyemo and Emmanuel Ifeanyi Obeagu
Lassa fever is a zoonotic disease caused by Lassa virus, which is a single-stranded RNA virus. Even though the virus was first described in the 1950s, it was not identified until 19691 and was subsequently named after a town in the present Borno state of Nigeria where the first case of the disease was recorded. The primary host of Lassa virus is a rodent of the genus. Mastomys, also referred to as ‘multimammate rat’. Once infected, Mastomys rats do not become ill but can shed the virus in their urine and faeces. Humans become infected from contact with the urine and faeces of infected rats. The infection can also occur in the process of hunting and processing rats for consumption. The virus is spread between humans through direct contact with blood, urine, faeces or other secretions from the infected person. As the world becomes increasingly connected, viral diseases, such as Lassa fever, once endemic to a region can be easily transmitted to other parts of the world, thus increasing the likelihood of a global pandemic. To reduce the probabilities of such events playing out, deliberate and concerted efforts must be applied towards both understanding Lassa fever and limiting infection rates. Therefore, measures that are limited in keeping of rodent out of homes and food supplies, as well as maintaining effective personal hygiene should be employed. Gloves, face masks, laboratory coats, and goggles are advised while in contact with an infected person.
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Nwadike Constance N.
Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic, Rodent-borne disease caused by the Lassa virus. It is mainly endemic in the Sub-regions of West Africa, including Nigeria due to the predominance of the zoonotic host in the region. Treatment options in Nigeria presently are limited and mortality rate is also high, due to lack of an approved preventive Vaccine, with Ribavirin being the major therapy for now. Our analytical findings unveiled that the genetic diversity among the different strains of Lassa fever has the ability to circumvent the immune system and this poses a critical challenge to the development of therapeutics for the disease. Hence understanding the biochemical mechanism of host immune invasion by the virus and its genetic polymorphism is key in the development of more effective therapeutics to combat this deadly virus, especially now that recent reviews have identified the Lassa fever Nucleoprotein (which functions in several aspects of the viral life cycle) as a novel target for therapeutics. Moving forward, Lassa fever Nucleoproteins inhibitors inhibitors can be employed as effective therapeutics to potentially inhibit the disease replication. Effective preventive measures, vaccine development, Repurposing of existing drugs using activity or in silico-based and computational bioinformatics, would be critical in the development of novel therapeutics for Lassa fever treatment.
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