Early onset of neurological features differentiates two outbreaks of Lassa fever in Ebonyi state, Nigeria during 2017-2018.
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, s...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2021-03-01
|
| Series: | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| Online Access: | https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0009169&type=printable |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849329954268905472 |
|---|---|
| author | Nneka M Chika-Igwenyi Rebecca E Harrison Christina Psarra Julita Gil-Cuesta Maria Gulamhusein Emeka O Onwe Robinson C Onoh Uche S Unigwe Nnennaya A Ajayi Ugochukwu U Nnadozie Chiedozie K Ojide Damian U Nwidi Obumneme Ezeanosike Emeka Sampson Azuka S Adeke Collins N Ugwu Uchenna Anebonam Jacques K Tshiang Jacob Maikere Anthony Reid |
| author_facet | Nneka M Chika-Igwenyi Rebecca E Harrison Christina Psarra Julita Gil-Cuesta Maria Gulamhusein Emeka O Onwe Robinson C Onoh Uche S Unigwe Nnennaya A Ajayi Ugochukwu U Nnadozie Chiedozie K Ojide Damian U Nwidi Obumneme Ezeanosike Emeka Sampson Azuka S Adeke Collins N Ugwu Uchenna Anebonam Jacques K Tshiang Jacob Maikere Anthony Reid |
| author_sort | Nneka M Chika-Igwenyi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bde090eb106d4dab8b2c011beecf661a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1935-2727 1935-2735 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| spelling | doaj-art-bde090eb106d4dab8b2c011beecf661a2025-08-20T03:47:07ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352021-03-01153e000916910.1371/journal.pntd.0009169Early onset of neurological features differentiates two outbreaks of Lassa fever in Ebonyi state, Nigeria during 2017-2018.Nneka M Chika-IgwenyiRebecca E HarrisonChristina PsarraJulita Gil-CuestaMaria GulamhuseinEmeka O OnweRobinson C OnohUche S UnigweNnennaya A AjayiUgochukwu U NnadozieChiedozie K OjideDamian U NwidiObumneme EzeanosikeEmeka SampsonAzuka S AdekeCollins N UgwuUchenna AnebonamJacques K TshiangJacob MaikereAnthony ReidLassa 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.https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0009169&type=printable |
| spellingShingle | Nneka M Chika-Igwenyi Rebecca E Harrison Christina Psarra Julita Gil-Cuesta Maria Gulamhusein Emeka O Onwe Robinson C Onoh Uche S Unigwe Nnennaya A Ajayi Ugochukwu U Nnadozie Chiedozie K Ojide Damian U Nwidi Obumneme Ezeanosike Emeka Sampson Azuka S Adeke Collins N Ugwu Uchenna Anebonam Jacques K Tshiang Jacob Maikere Anthony Reid Early onset of neurological features differentiates two outbreaks of Lassa fever in Ebonyi state, Nigeria during 2017-2018. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| title | Early onset of neurological features differentiates two outbreaks of Lassa fever in Ebonyi state, Nigeria during 2017-2018. |
| title_full | Early onset of neurological features differentiates two outbreaks of Lassa fever in Ebonyi state, Nigeria during 2017-2018. |
| title_fullStr | Early onset of neurological features differentiates two outbreaks of Lassa fever in Ebonyi state, Nigeria during 2017-2018. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Early onset of neurological features differentiates two outbreaks of Lassa fever in Ebonyi state, Nigeria during 2017-2018. |
| title_short | Early onset of neurological features differentiates two outbreaks of Lassa fever in Ebonyi state, Nigeria during 2017-2018. |
| title_sort | early onset of neurological features differentiates two outbreaks of lassa fever in ebonyi state nigeria during 2017 2018 |
| url | https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0009169&type=printable |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nnekamchikaigwenyi earlyonsetofneurologicalfeaturesdifferentiatestwooutbreaksoflassafeverinebonyistatenigeriaduring20172018 AT rebeccaeharrison earlyonsetofneurologicalfeaturesdifferentiatestwooutbreaksoflassafeverinebonyistatenigeriaduring20172018 AT christinapsarra earlyonsetofneurologicalfeaturesdifferentiatestwooutbreaksoflassafeverinebonyistatenigeriaduring20172018 AT julitagilcuesta earlyonsetofneurologicalfeaturesdifferentiatestwooutbreaksoflassafeverinebonyistatenigeriaduring20172018 AT mariagulamhusein earlyonsetofneurologicalfeaturesdifferentiatestwooutbreaksoflassafeverinebonyistatenigeriaduring20172018 AT emekaoonwe earlyonsetofneurologicalfeaturesdifferentiatestwooutbreaksoflassafeverinebonyistatenigeriaduring20172018 AT robinsonconoh earlyonsetofneurologicalfeaturesdifferentiatestwooutbreaksoflassafeverinebonyistatenigeriaduring20172018 AT uchesunigwe earlyonsetofneurologicalfeaturesdifferentiatestwooutbreaksoflassafeverinebonyistatenigeriaduring20172018 AT nnennayaaajayi earlyonsetofneurologicalfeaturesdifferentiatestwooutbreaksoflassafeverinebonyistatenigeriaduring20172018 AT ugochukwuunnadozie earlyonsetofneurologicalfeaturesdifferentiatestwooutbreaksoflassafeverinebonyistatenigeriaduring20172018 AT chiedoziekojide earlyonsetofneurologicalfeaturesdifferentiatestwooutbreaksoflassafeverinebonyistatenigeriaduring20172018 AT damianunwidi earlyonsetofneurologicalfeaturesdifferentiatestwooutbreaksoflassafeverinebonyistatenigeriaduring20172018 AT obumnemeezeanosike earlyonsetofneurologicalfeaturesdifferentiatestwooutbreaksoflassafeverinebonyistatenigeriaduring20172018 AT emekasampson earlyonsetofneurologicalfeaturesdifferentiatestwooutbreaksoflassafeverinebonyistatenigeriaduring20172018 AT azukasadeke earlyonsetofneurologicalfeaturesdifferentiatestwooutbreaksoflassafeverinebonyistatenigeriaduring20172018 AT collinsnugwu earlyonsetofneurologicalfeaturesdifferentiatestwooutbreaksoflassafeverinebonyistatenigeriaduring20172018 AT uchennaanebonam earlyonsetofneurologicalfeaturesdifferentiatestwooutbreaksoflassafeverinebonyistatenigeriaduring20172018 AT jacquesktshiang earlyonsetofneurologicalfeaturesdifferentiatestwooutbreaksoflassafeverinebonyistatenigeriaduring20172018 AT jacobmaikere earlyonsetofneurologicalfeaturesdifferentiatestwooutbreaksoflassafeverinebonyistatenigeriaduring20172018 AT anthonyreid earlyonsetofneurologicalfeaturesdifferentiatestwooutbreaksoflassafeverinebonyistatenigeriaduring20172018 |