Iowa resident dies of Lassa fever after returning from West Africa, officials say
Key takeaways:
- A middle-aged person returning from West Africa developed symptoms of Lassa fever and died.
- Although common in West Africa, the virus is rarely seen in the United States
An Iowa resident who traveled to West Africa has died of Lassa fever after returning home, Iowa health officials said.
The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services said the CDC was “working to confirm the diagnosis,” which was made after initial testing conducted at the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory.
If confirmed, it would be the ninth travel-related case of Lassa fever detected in the United States since 1969, the CDC said.
Both the CDC and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services have said the threat to the public and risk for transmission of the viral illness is low — including for people who were on the same flight returning from West Africa because the person who died was not sick while they traveled, and Lassa virus can only be transmitted when a person has active symptoms.
“This is a difficult time for the family of this individual, and I want to express our deepest condolences,” Iowa state medical director Robert Kruse, MD, MPH, FAAFP, said in a press release. “I want to assure Iowans that the risk of transmission is incredibly low in our state. We continue to investigate and monitor this situation and are implementing the necessary public health protocols.”
Lassa virus, which is common in West Africa, is carried by rodents. Humans can be infected through contact with rodent urine or droppings. The virus is linked to 100,000 to 300,000 infections and 5,000 deaths per year, according to the CDC.
It is not spread through casual contact but by contact with an infected person’s blood, bodily fluids or by sexual contact, the CDC said.
The Iowa patient was hospitalized at the University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center in an isolation unit when they died on Oct. 28.
According to the CDC, the person may have had contact with rodents while in West Africa, although the investigation is still in its early stages. The agency said it will monitor anybody who had close contact with the patient after their symptoms begin.
References:
- Lassa fever suspected in death of U.S. traveler returning from West Africa. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2024/s1028-lassa-fever.html. Published Oct. 28, 2024. Accessed Oct 29, 2024.
- State and hospital officials follow federal guidance after Lassa fever death. https://hhs.iowa.gov/news-release/2024-10-28/state-and-hospital-officials-follow-federal-guidance-after-lassa-fever-death. Published Oct. 28, 2024. Accessed Oct. 29, 2024.
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