How Is Lassa Fever Treated and Prevented?
Lassa fever can often be successfully treated with an antiviral drug called ribavirin when it is given within the first six days of illness. Because Mastomys rodents are found all over western Africa, however, it is unlikely that the virus can be prevented by getting rid of the rats. More promising methods of prevention include educating people about how to keep their homes free of rodents and developing a vaccine for Lassa fever.
