Lassa Fever in West Africa: A Clinical and Epidemiological Review

Abstract

Since 1969, when the first case of Lassa fever was documented in Lassa town, Nigeria, Lassa fever has assumed endemic proportion with yearly outbreaks in West African countries of Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia; with devastating public health implications. Despite the progress made in recent times in understanding the replication pattern of Lassa fever and the breakthroughs in the pathogenesis and molecular epidemiology of Lassa virus, as well as the development of the appropriate technologies for early diagnosis of this highly virulent and contagious viral hemorrhagic disease, control of Lassa fever outbreaks has remained elusive in the West African sub-region. This review article aims to provide the healthcare workers and other stakeholders with the needed comprehensive knowledge about Lassa virus, and the disease it causes, with emphasis on the control and preventive measures. The data for this review was gotten from analysis of research articles and surveillance reports on Lassa fever, using search engines such as Pub Med, Google Scholar, and department of health websites. Ineffective control measures and non-availability of resources for early diagnosis and prompt treatment of cases were identified to be responsible for the frequent outbreaks and high case fatality rates. We made a case for international collaboration in the development of effective and affordable vaccine for Lassa fever.