Symptoms+&+Disease+Progression+-+Lassa+Fever

=Progression= > Approximately one-tenth to one-twelfth of those infected by the virus do not survive the virus and being infected by the Lassa fever.
 * 1) The virus is transmitted from human to human through aerosol or bodily fluids or from rodent to human through excreta.
 * 2) This disease has a one to three week incubation period. During this time, the patient is not generally known to have Lassa fever.
 * 3) This is when the administration of the antiviral Ribavirin is the most effective to prevent the onset of the Lassa fever.
 * 4) General malaise is the first symptom
 * 5) The rest of the symptoms appear later
 * 6) Those who convalesce typically (80%) recover but occasionally there are some who die and some who develop complications while recovering such as hearing loss.

Symptoms
There are few characteristic symptoms at the beginning of a Lassa virus infection. "Inflammation of the throat with white tonsillar patches is an important distinguishing feature" (WHO). This makes appropriate treatment difficult. The symptoms presented are common to many viral hemorrhagic fevers: =Sources= http://www.health.belgium.be/eportal/Myhealth/Risksanddiseases/Healthrisks/SanitaryRisks/Viralhemorrhagicfevers/index.htm?fodnlang=en http://www.chppmeur.healthcare.hqusareur.army.mil/sites/usachppmeur/factsheets/DES-FS012%20Lassa%20Fever.pdf http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/mnpages/dispages/lassaf.htm http://vhfc.org/lassa_fever/pathogenesis https://apps.who.int/inf-fs/en/fact179.html
 * fever
 * retrosternal pain (pain behind the chest wall)
 * sore throat
 * back pain
 * cough
 * abdominal pain
 * vomiting
 * diarrhea
 * conjunctivitis
 * facial swelling
 * proteinuria (protein in the urine)
 * mucosal bleeding
 * Neurological problems have also been described, including hearing loss, tremors, and encephalitis.