Lassa fever

American  

[lah-suh] / ˈlɑ sə /

noun

Pathology.

1. a highly contagious viral disease, largely confined to central West Africa, characterized by fever, difficulty in swallowing, and inflammation of the pharynx, often progressing to infect the lungs, heart, and kidneys, leading to death.

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Lassa fever British  

noun

1. a serious viral disease of Central West Africa, characterized by high fever and muscular pains

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Etymology

Origin of Lassa fever

First recorded in 1965–70; after Lassa, Nigeria, village where it was first identified

Example Sentences

UK officials say they are "well-equipped to identify people who have Lassa fever" to limit any spread of infections.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2025

Sixteen years after they first started thinking about the genetics of Lassa fever, Sabeti and Happi are excited about the study's findings, which could explain the biological differences between mild and severe illness.

From Science Daily • Feb. 8, 2024

At the Galveston National Laboratory he has worked with guinea pigs infected with Ebola virus and macaques carrying Lassa fever.

From Science Magazine • May 23, 2023

He knows that villagers, especially children, catch rodents in the forest to fill their bellies, despite the fact that rats in Guinea can carry Lassa fever, which can cause deafness and death.

From Salon • Feb. 27, 2023

Then he checked all of my cousins for signs of Lassa fever.

From "Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina" by Michaela DePrince