Volume 11, Number 10—October 2005
Letter
Lassa Fever, Nigeria, 2003 and 2004
Table
Lassa virus–specific findings in 60 serum samples from Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo, Nigeria*
| Patient | RT-PCR† | IgM titer‡ | IgG titer‡ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients with fever (n = 31) | |||
| 04-10 | Positive§ | – | – |
| 04-02 | Positive | 1:40 | – |
| 04-51 | – | 1:160 | – |
| 04-34 | – | 1:40 | – |
| 04-03 | – | 1:>20,480 | 1:20,480 |
| 03-05 | – | 1:320 | 1:20,480 |
| 03-01 | – | 1:160 | 1:10,240 |
| 04-08 | – | 1:80 | 1:20,480 |
| 04-33 | – | 1:20 | 1:640 |
| 04-52 | – | 1:160 | 1:40 |
| 04-53 | – | 1:40 | 1:40 |
| Contact persons (n = 17) | |||
| 04-04 | Positive | 1:20 | – |
| 03-04 | – | 1:160 | 1:>20,480 |
| 04-11 | – | – | 1:80 |
| Hospital staff (n = 12) | |||
| 04-31 | – | – | 1:80 |
| 04-32 | – | – | 1:80 |
| 04-17 | – | – | 1:80 |
| 04-20 | – | – | 1:20 |
*Data not shown for patients whose samples were negative in all tests. RT-PCR, reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction; Ig, immunoglobulin; –, negative result.
†RT-PCR targeting the Lassa virus glycoprotein gene (4). PCR products were detected in ethidium bromide–stained gel and sequenced (GenBank accession nos. DQ010030 and DQ010031 for 04-02 and 04-10, respectively).
‡Immunofluorescence assay used cells infected with Lassa virus strain Josiah. Findings were confirmed with μ-capture and IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (data not shown).
§Lassa virus was isolated in cell culture (strain Nig04-010), and part of the L gene was sequenced (GenBank accession no. AY693637).
References
- Lassa fever—Nigeria (Edo). 2004 Feb 14 [cited 2004 Dec 8]. Available from http://www.promedmail.org, archive number 20040214.0487.
- Lassa fever, suspected—Nigeria (Edo). 2001 Mar 19 [cited 2004 Dec 8]. Available from http://www.promedmail.org, archive number 20010319.0552.
- Demby AH, Chamberlain J, Brown DW, Clegg CS. Early diagnosis of Lassa fever by reverse transcription PCR. J Clin Microbiol. 1994;32:2898–903.PubMedGoogle Scholar
- Drosten C, Gottig S, Schilling S, Asper M, Panning M, Schmitz H, Rapid detection and quantification of RNA of Ebola and Marburg viruses, Lassa virus, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, Rift Valley fever virus, dengue virus, and yellow fever virus by real-time reverse transcription PCR. J Clin Microbiol. 2002;40:2323–30. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
- McCormick JB, Webb PA, Krebs JW, Johnson KM, Smith ES. A prospective study of the epidemiology and ecology of Lassa fever. J Infect Dis. 1987;155:437–44. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
- Bowen MD, Rollin PE, Ksiazek TG, Hustad HL, Bausch DG, Demby AH, Genetic diversity among Lassa virus strains. J Virol. 2000;74:6992–7004. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
- Trappier SG, Conaty AL, Farrar BB, Auperin DD, McCormick JB, Fisher-Hoch SP. Evaluation of the polymerase chain reaction for diagnosis of Lassa virus infection. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1993;49:214–21.PubMedGoogle Scholar
- McCormick JB, King IJ, Webb PA, Scribner CL, Craven RB, Johnson KM, Lassa fever. Effective therapy with ribavirin. N Engl J Med. 1986;314:20–6. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar