{"id":60054,"date":"2018-03-05T06:29:44","date_gmt":"2018-03-05T06:29:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=60054"},"modified":"2018-03-05T06:29:44","modified_gmt":"2018-03-05T06:29:44","slug":"the-killer-disease-with-no-vaccine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/health\/the-killer-disease-with-no-vaccine.html","title":{"rendered":"The killer disease with no vaccine"},"content":{"rendered":"

The killer disease with no vaccine<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Since the beginning of the year, Nigeria has been gripped by an outbreak of a deadly disease. Lassa fever is one of a number of illnesses which can cause dangerous epidemics, but for which no vaccine currently exists.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lassa fever is not a new disease, but the current outbreak is unprecedented, spreading faster and further than ever before.<\/span><\/p>\n

Health workers are overstretched, and a number have themselves become infected and died.<\/span><\/p>\n

The potentially fatal disease is a so-called “viral haemorrhagic fever”, which can affect many organs, and damage the body’s blood vessels.<\/span><\/p>\n

But it is difficult to treat.<\/span><\/p>\n

Most people who catch Lassa will have only mild symptoms such as fever, headache and general weakness. They may have none at all.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, in severe cases, it can mimic another deadly haemorrhagic fever, Ebola, causing bleeding through the nose, mouth and other parts of the body.<\/span><\/p>\n

About 1% of cases are thought to be fatal, but women who contract the disease late in pregnancy face an 80% chance of losing their child, or dying themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n

More than 1,000 suspected cases of Lassa have been reported across Nigeria since January, according to the country’s Centre for Disease Control.<\/span><\/p>\n

About 90 people are thought to have died so far, but the true number may be much higher, because Lassa is so hard to diagnose.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the early stages it’s almost impossible to distinguish from other common diseases like malaria and dengue.<\/span><\/p>\n

With no readily available test, the only way to confirm a diagnosis is to analyse a blood or tissue sample in one of small number of specialised laboratories.<\/span><\/p>\n

The disease was first identified in the Nigerian town of Lassa in 1969, after an outbreak in a mission hospital.<\/span><\/p>\n

It has since been seen in many West African countries including Ghana, Mali and Sierra Leone.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, this outbreak is causing particular concern because the number of cases is unusually high for the time of year.<\/span><\/p>\n

Health officials are working to understand why.<\/span><\/p>\n

Outbreaks can be influenced by seasonal weather conditions, which affect the numbers of the virus’s natural host – the multimammate rat.<\/span><\/p>\n

These small mammals are common across West Africa, where they easily find their way into homes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another possibility is that the high number of cases reflects heightened public awareness.<\/span><\/p>\n

Or it’s possible that something about the virus has changed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Most people catch Lassa fever from anything contaminated with rat urine, faeces, blood or saliva – through eating, drinking or simply handling contaminated objects in the home.<\/span><\/p>\n

It can also pass from person to person through bodily fluids, meaning healthcare workers and people taking care of sick relatives without protective equipment are particularly at risk.<\/span><\/p>\n

The incubation period for Lassa is up to three weeks. Researchers are trying to work out whether – like Ebola – Lassa can stay in the body and be passed on through sexual contact even after illness subsides.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nigeria has a strong public health system, and is used to dealing with epidemics like this.<\/span><\/p>\n

The World Health Organization (WHO) is working with Nigerian authorities to help coordinate the response and the UK government has deployed a team of experts from its Public Health Rapid Support Team.<\/span><\/p>\n

Those living in affected areas are being advised to take basic precautions: blocking holes that may allow rats to enter their homes, disposing of rubbish in covered dustbins, and storing food and water in sealed containers.<\/span><\/p>\n

People are advised to wear protective gloves when caring for anyone who may have Lassa fever, and to carry out safe burial practices.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite these measures, the fight against Lassa – and other infectious diseases – is hampered by a lack of effective medical tools like diagnostic tests, treatments and vaccines.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is likely that a vaccine could be found for Lassa – reducing the possibility of an outbreak becoming a global health emergency – but as with other epidemic diseases that mainly affect poorer countries, progress has stalled.<\/span><\/p>\n

Vaccine development is a long, complex and costly process. This is especially true for emerging epidemic diseases, where a prototype vaccine can usually only be tested where there is an outbreak.<\/span><\/p>\n

A new organisation called CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations) – set up in 2017 with financial support from the Wellcome Trust, national governments and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – hopes to accelerate vaccine production.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lassa is one of the diseases on its hit list and it’s hoped one or more promising vaccines will be ready for large-scale testing in the next five years.<\/span><\/p>\n

The WHO has drawn up a list of other serious, but often poorly understood diseases, with the potential for devastating outbreaks, including MERS, Nipah, Rift Valley Fever and, of course, Ebola.<\/span><\/p>\n

It plans to highlight gaps in our knowledge of these diseases and to begin further research.<\/span><\/p>\n

But research alone isn’t enough.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stronger health systems are needed in the countries where epidemics are most likely to arise.<\/span><\/p>\n

This could mean building better healthcare facilities and training staff to recognise and respond to outbreaks.<\/span><\/p>\n

It will also mean working with communities to understand how to identify outbreaks at an early stage and prevent their spread.<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-\u00a0http:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-africa-43211086<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t <\/div><\/div>\n\t\t