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Chika-Igwenyi NM, Harrison RE, Psarra C, Gil-Cuesta J, Gulamhusein M, Onwe EO, Onoh RC, Unigwe US, Ajayi NA, Nnadozie UU, Ojide CK, Nwidi DU, Ezeanosike O, Sampson E, Adeke AS, Ugwu CN, Anebonam U, Tshiang JK, Maikere J, Reid A. Early onset of neurological features differentiates two outbreaks of Lassa fever in Ebonyi state, Nigeria during 2017-2018. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009169. [PMID: 33684118 PMCID: PMC7984835 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Lassa fever (LF) is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness with various non-specific clinical manifestations. Neurological symptoms are rare at the early stage of the disease, but may be seen in late stages, in severely ill patients.The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological evolution, socio-demographic profiles, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of patients seen during two Lassa fever outbreaks in Ebonyi State, between December 2017 and December 2018. Routinely collected clinical data from all patients admitted to the Virology Centre of the hospital during the period were analysed retrospectively. Out of a total of 83 cases, 70(84.3%) were RT-PCR confirmed while 13 (15.7%) were probable cases. Sixty-nine (83.1%) patients were seen in outbreak 1 of whom 53.6% were urban residents, while 19%, 15%, and 10% were farmers, students and health workers respectively. There were 14 (16.8%) patients, seen in second outbreak with 92.9% rural residents. There were differences in clinical symptoms, signs and laboratory findings between the two outbreaks. The case fatality rates were 29.9% in outbreak 1 and 85.7% for outbreak 2. Neurological features and abnormal laboratory test results were associated with higher mortality rate, seen in outbreak 2. This study revealed significant differences between the two outbreaks. Of particular concern was the higher case fatality during the outbreak 2 which may be from a more virulent strain of the Lassa virus. This has important public health implications and further molecular studies are needed to better define its characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nneka M. Chika-Igwenyi
- Department of Medicine, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Nigeria
| | | | - Christina Psarra
- Médecins sans Frontières Operational Research Unit (LuxOR), Operational Centre Brussels, Belgium
| | - Julita Gil-Cuesta
- Médecins sans Frontières Operational Research Unit (LuxOR), Operational Centre Brussels, Belgium
| | - Maria Gulamhusein
- Médecins sans Frontières Operational Research Unit (LuxOR), Operational Centre Brussels, Belgium
| | - Emeka O. Onwe
- Department of Paediatrics, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Nigeria
| | - Robinson C. Onoh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Nigeria
| | - Uche S. Unigwe
- Department of Medicine, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Nigeria
- University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku Ozalla Enugu, Nigeria
| | - Nnennaya A. Ajayi
- Department of Medicine, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Nigeria
| | - Ugochukwu U. Nnadozie
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Nigeria
| | - Chiedozie K. Ojide
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Nigeria
- Virology Laboratory, Virology Centre,AlexEkwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Nigeria
| | - Damian U. Nwidi
- Department of Medicine, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Nigeria
| | - Obumneme Ezeanosike
- Department of Paediatrics, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Nigeria
| | - Emeka Sampson
- Ebonyi State Ministry of Health, Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Nigeria
| | - Azuka S. Adeke
- Department of Community Medicine, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakiliki, Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Nigeria
| | - Collins N. Ugwu
- Department of Medicine, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Nigeria
| | | | | | | | - Anthony Reid
- Médecins sans Frontières Operational Research Unit (LuxOR), Operational Centre Brussels, Belgium
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Pemba CM, Kurosaki Y, Yoshikawa R, Oloniniyi OK, Urata S, Sueyoshi M, Zadeh VR, Nwafor I, Iroezindu MO, Ajayi NA, Chukwubike CM, Chika-Igwenyi NM, Ndu AC, Nwidi DU, Maehira Y, Unigwe US, Ojide CK, Onwe EO, Yasuda J. Development of an RT-LAMP assay for the detection of Lassa viruses in southeast and south-central Nigeria. J Virol Methods 2019; 269:30-37. [PMID: 30974179 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2019.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 03/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) causes Lassa fever (LF), a viral hemorrhagic fever endemic in West Africa. LASV strains are clustered into six lineages according to their geographic location. To confirm a diagnosis of LF, a laboratory test is required. Here, a reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay using a portable device for the detection of LASV in southeast and south-central Nigeria using three primer sets specific for strains clustered in lineage II was developed. The assay detected in vitro transcribed LASV RNAs within 23 min and was further evaluated for detection in 73 plasma collected from suspected LF patients admitted into two health settings in southern Nigeria. The clinical evaluation using the conventional RT-PCR as the reference test revealed a sensitivity of 50% in general with 100% for samples with a viral titer of 9500 genome equivalent copies (geq)/mL and higher. The detection limit was estimated to be 4214 geq/mL. The assay showed 98% specificity with no cross-reactivity to other viruses which cause similar symptoms. These results suggest that this RT-LAMP assay is a useful molecular diagnostic test for LF during the acute phase, contributing to early patient management, while using a convenient device for field deployment and in resource-poor settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christelle M Pemba
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Program for Nurturing Global Leaders in Tropical and Emerging Communicable Diseases, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan
| | - Yohei Kurosaki
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan
| | - Rokusuke Yoshikawa
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan; National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (CCPID), Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan
| | - Olamide K Oloniniyi
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Program for Nurturing Global Leaders in Tropical and Emerging Communicable Diseases, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan
| | - Shuzo Urata
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan; National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (CCPID), Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan
| | - Maki Sueyoshi
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan
| | - Vahid R Zadeh
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Program for Nurturing Global Leaders in Tropical and Emerging Communicable Diseases, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan
| | - Ifeanyi Nwafor
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, P.M.B. 102, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Michael O Iroezindu
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Ituku-Ozalla, P.M.B. 01129, Enugu, Nigeria
| | - Nnenna A Ajayi
- Department of Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, P.M.B. 01129, Enugu, Nigeria
| | - Chinedu M Chukwubike
- Department of Microbiology, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, P.M.B. 01129, Enugu, Nigeria
| | - Nneka M Chika-Igwenyi
- Department of Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, P.M.B. 01129, Enugu, Nigeria
| | - Anne C Ndu
- Department of Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Ituku-Ozalla, P.M.B. 01129, Enugu, Nigeria
| | - Damian U Nwidi
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, P.M.B. 102, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Yuki Maehira
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan; St Luke's International University, Graduate School of Public Health, 3-6-2, Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan
| | - Uche S Unigwe
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, P.M.B. 102, Abakaliki, Nigeria; Department of Medicine, Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, P.M.B. 102, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Chiedozie K Ojide
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, P.M.B. 102, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Emeka O Onwe
- Department of Medicine, Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, P.M.B. 102, Abakaliki, Nigeria; Pediatrics Department, Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, P.M.B. 102, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Jiro Yasuda
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Program for Nurturing Global Leaders in Tropical and Emerging Communicable Diseases, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan; National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (CCPID), Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan.
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