Rare case of Lassa fever kills an Iowa resident. Here's what to know.

A middle-aged Iowa resident who precocious traveled to West Africa has died from Lassa fever, state wellness officials confirmed Monday.

"I want to guarantee Iowans that nan consequence of transmission is incredibly debased successful our state," Dr. Robert Kruse, authorities aesculapian head of nan Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, said successful a news release. "We proceed to analyse and show this business and are implementing nan basal nationalist wellness protocols."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and section nationalist wellness partners are moving to place anyone "who whitethorn person been successful adjacent interaction pinch nan patient, retired of an abundance of caution, for monitoring," nan merchandise added.

What is Lassa fever?

Lassa fever is simply a microorganism that is mostly recovered passim Sub-Saharan Africa. It is dispersed by West African multimammate rats, which are presently nan only type known to transportation Lassa virus, wellness officials say.

The viral unwellness tin travel connected quickly erstwhile personification is infected, pinch an incubation play of betwixt 2 to 21 days, nan World Health Organization says.

In nan past 55 years, location person been only 8 travel-associated cases of Lassa fever reported successful nan U.S.  In 2015, a New Jersey man died aft being diagnosed pinch nan virus. 

About 100,000 to 300,000 cases of Lassa fever hap successful West Africa each year, and astir 5,000 group dice from it, according to nan CDC. 

How is Lassa fever spread?

People tin get Lassa fever by having interaction pinch infected rats aliases their saliva, urine aliases droppings, which whitethorn hap done contaminated nutrient aliases family items.

Infection tin besides dispersed betwixt group aft interaction pinch assemblage fluids of an infected person. It is not dispersed done casual contact, specified arsenic hugging, shaking hands aliases sitting adjacent someone.

"People pinch Lassa fever are not contagious until aft their symptoms begin," nan CDC notes.

The University of Iowa Health Care system, wherever nan resident was treated, said nan diligent was cared for successful its Special Pathogen Unit, which is simply a contained portion designed to safely grip infectious diseases, and assured nan nationalist that nan infirmary "remains a safe spot to person care."

The CDC said nan personification was "not sick while walking truthful nan consequence to chap hose passengers is highly low."

While person-to-person transmission has not been antecedently reported successful nan U.S., nan CDC does urge stepped up isolation precautions for viral hemorrhagic fevers for illustration Lassa virus.

Lassa fever symptoms

While Lassa fever tin beryllium deadly, astir group acquisition only mild symptoms, including flimsy fever, emotion tired and anemic and headaches. Those wide symptoms are akin to galore different conditions, and wellness officials opportunity astir group pinch mild cases are ne'er diagnosed.

About 1 successful 5 group infected will create a terrible lawsuit of nan disease, WHO says.

Some group whitethorn create bleeding, vomiting, trouble breathing, facial swelling and symptom successful nan back, thorax aliases stomach. 

The wide lawsuit fatality complaint for nan illness is astir 1%, "but tin scope 15% aliases much among patients hospitalized pinch terrible presentation," according to WHO.

Health officials opportunity curen options whitethorn see an antiviral supplier called ribavirin, which is astir effective if fixed early on, and supportive therapy for illustration painkillers and rehydration to thief relieve symptoms.

Alexander Tin contributed to this report.

In:
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• World Health Organization