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Lassa Fever: An Old World Arenavirus - College Papers

Lassa Fever: An Old World Arenavirus

ABSTRACT
A brief summary of lassa fever, its history, pathology and effects on the
indigenous populations. Also, lassa fever in the context of newly emerging
diseases.

LASSA FEVER

On January 12, 1969, a missionary nun, working in the small town of
Lassa, Nigeria, began complaining of a backache. Thinking she had merely pulled
a muscle, she ignored the pain and went on about her business. After a week,
however, the nurse had a throat so sore and so filled with ulcers, she couldn't
swallow. Thinking she was suffering from one of the many bacterial diseases
endemic to the area, her sisters administered every antibiotic they had on store
in the town's Church of the Brethren Mission ...

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damage to every organ in the body, the heart was stopped up, with
loads of blood cells and platelets piled well into the arteries and veins.
Fluids and blood filled the lungs. Dead cells and lipids clogged the liver and
spleen. The kidneys were so congested with dead cells and free proteins they had
ceased to function. Dissecting the lymph nodes, they discovered that they were
completely empty; every white blood cell had been utilized in a futile attempt
to stave off the unknown microbe. A few days later, a prominent western viral
researcher contracted the unknown disease and the hunt for the microbe that
caused lassa fever, began in earnest.(Garrett, 1994)
Lassa fever is a virus belonging to the family Arenaviridae. Genus
Arenavirus, although being around for about 60 years in the form of lymphocytic
choriomeningitis, has recently been brought to the public's attention because of
the large number of species known as "emerging viruses" in the genera. The
genera consists mostly of ...

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Lassa Fever: An Old World Arenavirus. (2006, July 4). Retrieved January 11, 2026, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Lassa-Fever-An-Old-World-Arenavirus/48573

"Lassa Fever: An Old World Arenavirus." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 4 Jul. 2006. Web. 11 Jan. 2026. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Lassa-Fever-An-Old-World-Arenavirus/48573>

"Lassa Fever: An Old World Arenavirus." Essayworld.com. July 4, 2006. Accessed January 11, 2026. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Lassa-Fever-An-Old-World-Arenavirus/48573.

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PAPER DETAILS

Added: 7/4/2006 01:28:40 AM
Category: Health & Medicine
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 803
Pages: 3

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