Microbiologist explains origins of Lassa Fever after first cases in Britain reported

Lassa Fever is an illness that is caused by the Lassa Virus.

The virus, which is rat-borne, is usually contracted by human contact with food or household items which have been contaminated by the urine or faeces of infected rats.

Lassa Virus is found in West African countries where the disease is ‘endemic’, which means it is consistently present but limited to this region.

The diseases is a viral haemorrhagic one such as Ebola virus disease, malaria, shigellosis, typhoid fever and yellow fever.

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