Iowan dies of West African disease

In 55 years, there have been 8 travel-related cases of Lassa fever in the United States

An eastern Iowa resident who was treated at the University of Iowa has died of Lassa fever, a viral disease spread by rats found in West Africa, according to a Monday news release from Iowa Health and Human Services.

The death was announced Monday in a news release from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, which did not identify the person. According to HHS, the person — who was identified as middle-aged — had recently returned from travel to West Africa, where doctors believe they contracted the virus.

Lassa fever can be fatal, but most people who are infected have mild or no symptoms, according to the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It can cause symptoms that vary from headache and mild fever to excessive bleeding, difficulty breathing and vomiting.

The virus is usually spread only when humans come into contact with the urine or feces of infected multimammal rats, which are common in West Africa. It can also be spread through contact with bodily fluids from an infected person, but is not spread through casual contact such as hugging, shaking hands or sitting near someone, the release said.

In the past 55 years, there have been eight travel-related cases of Lassa fever reported in the United States, the release said.

“Out of an abundance of caution,” Iowa HHS is working with the University of Iowa Health Care, CDC and local public health partners to identify and monitor anyone who may have been in contact with the deceased person.

Tests to determine the person’s cause of death were performed at the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory on Monday, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working to confirm the diagnosis, the release said.

“This is a difficult time for this person’s family and I want to express our deepest condolences,” said Dr. Robert Kruse, State Medical Director of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. “I want to assure Iowans that the risk of transmission is incredibly low in our state. We are continuing to investigate and monitor this situation and are implementing the necessary public health protocols.”

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