Pediatric Lassa Fever: A Review of 33 Liberian Cases

Mark H. Monson

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Andrew K. Cole Lassa Fever Control Project, Liberian Institute of Biomedical Research, Box 31, Robertsfield, Liberia

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John D. Frame Columbia University School of Public Health, 630 West 168th Street, New York, New York 10032

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Janet R. Serwint Curran Lutheran Hospital, Box 1046, Monrovia, Liberia

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Suzama Alexander Curran Lutheran Hospital, Box 1046, Monrovia, Liberia

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Peter B. Jahrling United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland 21701

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.1987.36.408
Volume/Issue:
Volume 36: Issue 2
Page(s):
408–415
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Thirty-three cases of pediatric Lassa fever were identified at Curran Lutheran Hospital and Phebe Hospital in Liberia between January 1980 and March 1984. All 18 fetal cases died and the case-fatality rate for 15 childhood cases was 27%. We identified four clinical presentations according to age, including a case of congenital Lassa fever, a condition not reported previously.

Two cases of Lassa fever were found serologically during a one-month survey of all pediatric admissions at Curran Lutheran Hospital, 2.4% of those children who had serum pairs collected. We also identified a “swollen baby syndrome” consisting of widespread edema, abdominal distention, and bleeding. This distinctive clinical presentation of Lassa fever ended in death in three of four cases and was present in three of the four childhood deaths in this series. Its absence seems to be a good prognostic indicator in children.

Author Notes

Copyright:
Copyright © 1987 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 1987
Accepted:
16 Sep 1986
|
Published Online:
Mar 1987
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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