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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
medicine
Molecular Diagnostics for Lassa Fever at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Nigeria: Lessons Learnt from Two Years of Laboratory Operation
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Volume 6, No. 9, Article e1839, Year 2012
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Description
Background: Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic fever endemic in West Africa. However, none of the hospitals in the endemic areas of Nigeria has the capacity to perform Lassa virus diagnostics. Case identification and management solely relies on non-specific clinical criteria. The Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH) in the central senatorial district of Edo State struggled with this challenge for many years. Methodology/Principal Findings: A laboratory for molecular diagnosis of Lassa fever, complying with basic standards of diagnostic PCR facilities, was established at ISTH in 2008. During 2009 through 2010, samples of 1,650 suspected cases were processed, of which 198 (12%) tested positive by Lassa virus RT-PCR. No remarkable demographic differences were observed between PCR-positive and negative patients. The case fatality rate for Lassa fever was 31%. Nearly two thirds of confirmed cases attended the emergency departments of ISTH. The time window for therapeutic intervention was extremely short, as 50% of the fatal cases died within 2 days of hospitalization-often before ribavirin treatment could be commenced. Fatal Lassa fever cases were older (p = 0.005), had lower body temperature (p<0.0001), and had higher creatinine (p<0.0001) and blood urea levels (p<0.0001) than survivors. Lassa fever incidence in the hospital followed a seasonal pattern with a peak between November and March. Lassa virus sequences obtained from the patients originating from Edo State formed-within lineage II-a separate clade that could be further subdivided into three clusters. Conclusions/Significance: Lassa fever case management was improved at a tertiary health institution in Nigeria through establishment of a laboratory for routine diagnostics of Lassa virus. Data collected in two years of operation demonstrate that Lassa fever is a serious public health problem in Edo State and reveal new insights into the disease in hospitalized patients. © 2012 Asogun et al.
Authors & Co-Authors
Asogun, Danny A.
Nigeria, Hamburg
Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital
Adomeh, Donatus I.
Nigeria, Hamburg
Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital
Ehimuan, Jacqueline
Nigeria, Hamburg
Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital
Odia, Ikponmwosa
Nigeria, Hamburg
Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital
Hass, Meike
Germany, Hamburg
Bernhard Nocht Institut Fur Tropenmedizin Hamburg
Gabriel, Martin
Germany, Hamburg
Bernhard Nocht Institut Fur Tropenmedizin Hamburg
Ölschläger, Stephan
Germany, Hamburg
Bernhard Nocht Institut Fur Tropenmedizin Hamburg
Becker-Ziaja, Beate
Germany, Hamburg
Bernhard Nocht Institut Fur Tropenmedizin Hamburg
Folarin, Onikepe Abiola
Nigeria, Ibadan
University of Ibadan
Phelan, Eric
United States, Cambridge
Broad Institute
United States, Cambridge
Harvard University
Ehiane, Philomena E.
Nigeria, Hamburg
Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital
Ifeh, Veritas E.
Nigeria, Hamburg
Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital
Uyigue, Eghosasere Anthonia
Nigeria, Hamburg
Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital
Oladapo, Yemisi T.
Nigeria, Hamburg
Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital
Muoebonam, Ekene B.
Nigeria, Hamburg
Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital
Osunde, Osagie
Nigeria, Hamburg
Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital
Dongo, Andrew E.
Nigeria, Hamburg
Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital
Okokhere, Peter O.
Nigeria, Hamburg
Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital
Okogbenin, Sylvanus Akhalufo
Nigeria, Hamburg
Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital
Momoh, Mojeed O.
Nigeria, Hamburg
Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital
Alikah, Sylvester O.
Nigeria, Hamburg
Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital
Akhuemokhan, Odigie C.
Nigeria, Hamburg
Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital
Imomeh, Peter
Nigeria, Hamburg
Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital
Odike, Maxy A.C.
Nigeria, Hamburg
Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital
Gire, Stephen K.
United States, Cambridge
Broad Institute
United States, Cambridge
Harvard University
Andersen, Kristian G.
United States, Cambridge
Broad Institute
United States, Cambridge
Harvard University
Sabeti., Pardis C.
United States, Cambridge
Broad Institute
United States, Cambridge
Harvard University
Happi, Christian Tientcha
Nigeria, Ibadan
University of Ibadan
Akpede, George Obozokhale
Nigeria, Hamburg
Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital
Günther, Stephan
Germany, Hamburg
Bernhard Nocht Institut Fur Tropenmedizin Hamburg
Statistics
Citations: 153
Authors: 30
Affiliations: 5
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1371/journal.pntd.0001839
ISSN:
19352727
e-ISSN:
19352735
Research Areas
Health System And Policy
Study Design
Randomised Control Trial
Cohort Study
Study Locations
Multi-countries
Nigeria