WASHINGTON, D.C. — Health authorities, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Iowa Department of Health, are conducting an investigation into a suspected case of Lassa fever involving an Iowa resident who recently returned from West Africa. The patient, who was not symptomatic during travel, was admitted in isolation at the University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center and unfortunately passed away last week.
Lassa fever is an acute viral disease endemic to West Africa, where it is predominantly transmitted to humans through contact with the urine or droppings of infected rodents. While human-to-human transmission is uncommon, it can occur through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. Importantly, individuals are not considered contagious before the onset of symptoms, and the virus is not spread through casual contact. In West Africa, Lassa fever affects between 100,000 and 300,000 people annually, resulting in approximately 5,000 deaths.
The Iowa case, if confirmed, would represent only the ninth instance of Lassa fever reported among travelers returning to the U.S. from endemic regions since the virus was first identified in the country in 1969.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the patient may have contracted the virus after exposure to rodents in West Africa. The CDC, in collaboration with Iowa’s public health authorities, is actively working to trace the patient’s contacts post-symptom onset. As a precautionary measure, individuals identified as close contacts will be monitored for a 21-day period to preemptively manage any potential spread of the virus.
Despite the tragic outcome for the patient, the risk to the general U.S. population remains extremely low, given the non-airborne transmission of the virus and the isolated nature of the case. The CDC has pledged continued support to Iowa health officials and is coordinating with federal agencies to ensure a comprehensive response.
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