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

II. Clinical Observations and Virological Studies on Selected Hospital Cases

Thomas P. Monath Vector-Borne Diseases Division, Bureau of Laboratories, Center for Disease Control, Public Health Service, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Panguma Catholic Hospital, Yale Arbovirus Research Unit, Virology Division, Bureau of Laboratories, Center for Disease Control, Public Health Service, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Post Office Box 2087, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, Sierra Leone

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Mary Maher Vector-Borne Diseases Division, Bureau of Laboratories, Center for Disease Control, Public Health Service, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Panguma Catholic Hospital, Yale Arbovirus Research Unit, Virology Division, Bureau of Laboratories, Center for Disease Control, Public Health Service, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Post Office Box 2087, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, Sierra Leone

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Jordi Casals Vector-Borne Diseases Division, Bureau of Laboratories, Center for Disease Control, Public Health Service, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Panguma Catholic Hospital, Yale Arbovirus Research Unit, Virology Division, Bureau of Laboratories, Center for Disease Control, Public Health Service, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Post Office Box 2087, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, Sierra Leone

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Robert E. Kissling Vector-Borne Diseases Division, Bureau of Laboratories, Center for Disease Control, Public Health Service, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Panguma Catholic Hospital, Yale Arbovirus Research Unit, Virology Division, Bureau of Laboratories, Center for Disease Control, Public Health Service, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Post Office Box 2087, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, Sierra Leone

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Anthony Cacciapuoti Vector-Borne Diseases Division, Bureau of Laboratories, Center for Disease Control, Public Health Service, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Panguma Catholic Hospital, Yale Arbovirus Research Unit, Virology Division, Bureau of Laboratories, Center for Disease Control, Public Health Service, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Post Office Box 2087, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, Sierra Leone

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.1974.23.1140
Volume/Issue:
Volume 23: Issue 6
Page(s):
1140–1149
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Twelve patients hospitalized with a confirmed diagnosis of Lassa fever were studied during an epidemic of this disease in Sierra Leone. Clinical observations confirmed and extended those made in previous outbreaks in Liberia and Nigeria. Two patients were treated with plasma containing antibodies to Lassa virus; both had a favorable response. Lassa virus was isolated from serum, throat swabs, or urine from all patients sampled during the first 15 days of illness. Virus was recovered from the pharynx of patients with circulating complement-fixing (CF) antibodies. CF antibodies were detectable by the 3rd week of illness. A strain of Lassa virus from one of the patients was compared with strains recovered in Liberia and Nigeria by CF test. Serum from convalescent patients infected with Nigerian virus did not fix complement in the presence of strains from Liberia or Sierra Leone; this result may indicate antigenic differences between Lassa virus strains which must be confirmed by neutralization test.
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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