A man has died after contracting Lassa fever, which is a virus that can cause hearing loss, among other complications.
According to the NY Post, the deceased man in question is an Iowa resident. Moreover, he was hospitalized in isolation at the University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center, prior to his death.
Lassa fever itself is a virus that is common in West Africa, but extremely rare in the US. As might be expected, the deceased man did travel to West Africa just previous to his tragic passing. The virus itself is often carried by rats and other rodents in West Africa. Reportedly, during the man's trip to the area, he has been in contact with the region's rats.
Iowa Man Dies After Contracting Dangerous Virus While In West Africa
The man had returned to the US earlier this month, before becoming more ill. Lassa fever can cause permanent and deafness in patients with mild or severe cases of the virus. According to the CDC itself, 1 in 3 who suffer from the virus will suffer hearing loss. Aside from the hearing loss, Lassa fever symptoms can also include fever, fatigue, and headaches. More severe cases of the virus may result in bleeding, vomiting, facial swelling, difficulty breathing and pain in the chest, abdomen, and back.
When the virus is contracted by a pregnant woman, the pregnancy and fetus are at extreme risk. Apparently, 95% of pregnancies, and their accompanying fetus, will be lost, if the pregnant mother contracts the virus.
That is all to say, that Lassa fever is a very dangerous virus. Fortunately, it is not one that is common to the US. The man's death marks only the ninth known case of the virus in the US since 1969. With that said, precautions are being taken to ensure those who were in contact with the man prior to his hospitalization are not developing any symptoms. Namely, those individuals are being monitored by health officials.
The man's passing is certainly a tragic development. Perhaps unbelievably, while such is rare in the US, roughly 5,000 individuals die due to complications from the virus each year in West Africa.
