This descriptive cross-sectional study assessed the knowledge, attitudes and practices of Lassa Fever in and around Lafia, Central Nigeria. Structured questionnaires were administered to 200 consenting respondents from urban and sub-urban areas in Lafia. Of the 200 respondents, 87% heard of Lassa Fever with 89% and 80% from urban and sub-urban areas. There was no significant difference on the awareness of Lassa Fever among respondents from urban and sub-urban areas (P>0.05). There was misperception about species affected and modes of transmission of the disease, nevertheless bleeding was mentioned by 39% of the respondents as the major clinical manifestation.
Also, 83% of the respondents had rats/rodents in and around their residence, of which 28% come into contact with urine/feaces of the rodents and 24% consume foods contaminated by the rodents. However, 85% of the respondents do not believe in the existence of Lassa Fever. Most respondents (41%) reported that they will show some discriminatory attitudes towards individuals suspected or having Lassa Fever. Furthermore, 67% of the respondents were optimistic to accept possible vaccine candidate against the disease. Public health awareness especially among the sub-urban dwellers should be intensified so as to reduce the spread of both the vector and the virus.
