Lassa‍ Fever Suspected in Death of Iowa Traveler

⁢ ‍ Updated October 28, 2024
⁢

A suspected ⁤case of Lassa fever is under investigation by‍ the Centers for⁢ Disease Control and Prevention and the Iowa Department ⁢of Health after an Iowa ⁢resident died. The patient had recently returned from West Africa earlier in October. Health officials believe the risk to airline passengers is very low because the patient was not ill during travel.

The patient was being treated in⁣ isolation ⁣at University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center.Preliminary tests conducted⁢ by the Nebraska Laboratory Response Network ⁢indicated the presence of Lassa fever. Confirmatory testing is planned to confirm ‍the diagnosis of this rare viral hemorrhagic fever.

Lassa fever ⁤ is common in West Africa,where it is indeed spread by rodents to humans thru contact with urine or droppings. Person-to-person transmission is rare, ‍occurring through direct ‍contact with ⁤blood or bodily fluids, mucous membranes, or sexual contact. the⁣ CDC said the virus is not spread through casual contact, ⁣and⁢ patients are not thought to be infectious before symptoms appear. Annually, West Africa sees an estimated 100,000 to‍ 300,000 Lassa fever ⁣ cases, resulting⁣ in about 5,000 deaths.

If confirmed,this would be the ninth instance of Lassa fever ⁣in a ‍traveler returning ⁢to the U.S. since 1969.

The CDC ⁤is assisting Iowa ‍public health officials in determining how the patient contracted the illness. Initial information suggests possible contact with rodents in west Africa.federal‍ assistance ‍has been offered to Iowa by the CDC and ⁤other federal‍ agencies. The CDC is working with Iowa officials to identify and monitor individuals who had close contact with the patient after symptoms began for 21 days.

What’s next

Further details will be‍ released as they become available. More information about Lassa fever can be found on the CDC⁤ website.