Context:
A recent Lassa fever case in Iowa, involving a traveler from West Africa, has brought the disease to public attention.
Lassa fever:
- A zoonotic disease
- Caused by – Lassa virus (single-stranded RNA virus)
- Primary reservoir: Mastomys rat.
- 1st identified in Lassa, Nigeria in 1969.
Lassa fever is known to be endemic in Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Togo and Nigeria, but probably exists in other West African countries as well.
- Transmission:
- Rat-to-human: Contact with contaminated food/items.
- Human-to-human: Exposure to bodily fluids.
- Vulnerable populations:
- Pregnant women: Increased maternal mortality (30%), high fetal death rate (85%).
- Infants: “Swollen baby syndrome,” higher fatality rate.
- Fatality rate: 1% overall, 15-20% in hospitalized patients.
- Annual cases: 100,000-300,000.
- Annual deaths: 5,000.
- Prevention: Minimize rat-to-human transmission.
- Diagnosis: RT-PCR and ELISA tests.
- Treatment: Antiviral drug ribavirin
Cases in India:
- Lassa fever classified as a disease of international significance by India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- No documented cases of Lassa fever reported in India (as of 2022).
Disease of International Significance:
- When a disease is classified as a “Disease of International Significance” in India, it means that the Indian government recognizes it as a serious public health threat with the potential to spread across borders.
Disease of International Significance:
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, Ebola virus disease (EVD), Lassa fever, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), Nipah virus, Rift Valley fever (RVF), Zika virus
- This classification triggers specific public health measures and international cooperation to prevent and control the disease’s spread.
- Key implications of this classification:
- Enhanced surveillance: Increased monitoring of cases and potential outbreaks.
- Stricter border control: Implementation of screening measures at entry points.
- Rapid response teams: Activation of specialized teams to handle outbreaks.
- International collaboration: Sharing information and coordinating efforts with other countries.
- Public awareness campaigns: Dissemination of information to prevent infection.
Source: TH
Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements:
1. In tropical regions, Zika virus disease is transmitted by ‘the same mosquito that transmits dengue.
2. Sexual transmission of Zika virus disease is possible
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2017 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (c)
