Understanding Lassa Fever Virus and Diversification of the Rodent Vector in the Tropics

Introduction: Lassa fever is an acute viral zoonotic illness caused by Lassa virus, an arenavirus known to be responsible for a severe haemorrhagic fever characterized by fever, muscle aches, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, and chest and abdominal pain. The virus exhibits persistent, asymptomatic infection, with profuse urinary virus excretion in Mastomysnatalensis, the ubiquitous and highly commensal rodent host. Lassa fever is endemic in West Africa and has been reported from Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, and Nigeria where it was first discovered. LASV (Lassa virus) is responsible for 100,000-300,000 infections, and approximately 5,000 deaths annually. The aim was to examine the burden of lassa fever and identify the epidemiological diversity of the rodent vector of lassa fever in humans. Findings: It shows that although the general public may know or might have heard about the virus and the disease, but they still do not understand the mode of transmission and role of the vector which is a key component in the control and eradication programme for lassa virus disease. Conclusion: Advancing knowledge significantly improves our understanding of lassa virus biology, as well as the mechanisms that allow the virus to evade the host’s immune system. However, further investigations are required in order to design improved diagnostic tools, an effective vaccine, and therapeutic agents.