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Lassa fever (Viral hemorrhagic fever)

Lassa fever, also known as Lassa hemorrhagic fever, is a type of viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus

Prevalence

Unknown

Age of Onset

ICD-10

-

Inheritance

This condition does not appear to have a clear pattern of inheritance.

Rare View

Lassa fever is an animal-borne, or zoonotic, acute viral illness. It is endemic in parts of West Africa including Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Nigeria. Neighboring countries are also at risk, as the animal vector for Lassa virus, the “multimammate rat” (Mastomys natalensis) is distributed throughout the region.

5 Facts you should know

FACT

1

In severe disease (~20% of infected individuals), Lassa fever causes serious symptoms including hemorrhaging, respiratory distress, vomiting, facial swelling, pain in the chest, back, and abdomen, and shock.

FACT

2

Signs and symptoms of Lassa fever typically occur 1-3 weeks after the patient comes into contact with the virus.

FACT

3

Lassa fever is an animal-borne, or zoonotic, acute viral illness.

FACT

4

The reservoir (host) of Lassa virus is a rodent known as the “multimammate rat”.

FACT

5

It is endemic in parts of West Africa including Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Nigeria.

Lassa fever is also known as...

Lassa fever is also known as:

  • Viral hemorrhagic fever

What’s your Rare IQ?

Lassa fever is named after the town in where the first cases occurred. In what country is the town of Lassa located?

Common signs & symptoms

Fatigue

Fever

Abdominal pain

Arthralgia

Joint pain

Chest pain

Decreased liver function

Diarrhea

Epistaxis

Bloody nose, frequent nosebleeds

Current treatments

Top Clinical Trials

TitleDescriptionPhasesStatusInterventionsMore Information
Safety, Tolerability and Immunogenicity of INO-4500 in Healthy VolunteersThis is a randomized and double-blinded within study group, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability and immunological profile of INO-4500 administered by intradermal (ID) injection followed by electroporation using the CELLECTRA® 2000 device in healthy adult volunteers.Phase 1CompletedDrug: INO-4500|Drug: Placebo|Device: CELLECTRA® 2000More Info
A Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Immunogenicity of rVSV∆G-LASV-GPC Vaccine in Adults in Good General HeathA Phase 1 Randomized, Double-blinded, Placebo-controlled, Dose-escalation Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Immunogenicity of rVSV∆G-LASV-GPC Vaccine in Adults in Good General HealthPhase 1RecruitingDrug: rVSV∆G-LASV-GPC|Other: Placebo/DiluentMore Info

Top Treatments in Research

AgentClass/Mechanism of ActionDevelopment StatusCompanyClinical StudiesMore Information
INO-4500INO-4500 is a DNA vaccine encoding the LASV Josiah strain GPC gene (pLASV-GPC), which is codon-optimised to enhance expression in the recipient species (i.e. guinea pigs or macaques).Phase 1Inovio Pharmaceuticals|Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness InnovationsMore InfoMore Info
rVSV∆G-LASV-GPCThis vaccine is based on an attenuated strain of vesicular stomatitis virus that has been modified to express a Lassa fever virus protein that plays an essential role in establishing virus infection.Phase 1International AIDS Vaccine Initiative|George Washington University|Brigham and Women's Hospital|Redemption Hospital|East-West Medical Research InstituteMore InfoMore Info

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention