Lassa Fever in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone, 1970–1972

I. Epidemiologic Studies

David W. Fraser The Bureau of Epidemiology, the State and Community Services Division, and the Bureau of Laboratories, Center for Disease Control, Public Health Service, U. S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, the Peace Corps, Atlanta, Georgia

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C. Clinton Campbell The Bureau of Epidemiology, the State and Community Services Division, and the Bureau of Laboratories, Center for Disease Control, Public Health Service, U. S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, the Peace Corps, Atlanta, Georgia

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Thomas P. Monath The Bureau of Epidemiology, the State and Community Services Division, and the Bureau of Laboratories, Center for Disease Control, Public Health Service, U. S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, the Peace Corps, Atlanta, Georgia

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Paul A. Goff The Bureau of Epidemiology, the State and Community Services Division, and the Bureau of Laboratories, Center for Disease Control, Public Health Service, U. S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, the Peace Corps, Atlanta, Georgia

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Michael B. Gregg The Bureau of Epidemiology, the State and Community Services Division, and the Bureau of Laboratories, Center for Disease Control, Public Health Service, U. S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, the Peace Corps, Atlanta, Georgia

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.1974.23.1131
Volume/Issue:
Volume 23: Issue 6
Page(s):
1131–1139
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In an epidemic of Lassa fever in the Eastern Province, Sierra Leone, 63 suspected cases were identified in patients admitted to two hospitals over a 2-year period. Although hospital workers were at high risk of infection, most cases were acquired outside the hospital. There appeared to be intrafamilial outbreaks around several cases. The clustering of seropositivity in families suggested person-to-person spread. Six percent of the population surveyed had complement-fixing antibody against Lassa virus, while only 0.2% had recognized disease. This suggests that the fatality from Lassa virus infection is considerably less than the 38% observed among cases.
Copyright:
Copyright © 1974 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 1974
Accepted:
23 Feb 1974
|
Published Online:
Nov 1974
Cover The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Print ISSN:
0002-9637
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