Lassa Fever: Response to an Imported Case

Zweighaft, Ronald M.; Fraser, David W.; Hattwick, Michael A. W.; Winkler, William G.; Jordan, Wilbert; Alter, Miriam J.; Wolfe, Martin S.; Wulff, Herta; Johnson, Karl M.

doi:10.1056/nejm197710132971504

Cited by 57 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 12 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This is in agreement with the findings of previous studies, which have not detected secondary transmissions by surveillance and serological testing of selected contacts [4][5][6]. In contrast to these investigations, a probable transmission was identified in a person who had a close contact on day 9 of illness.…”

Section: Conclusion and Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Imported Lassa Fever in Germany: Surveillance and Management of Contact Persons

et al. 2003

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This study sought to assess the risk of secondary transmission after import of Lassa fever into Europe. A total of 232 persons exposed to a case of Lassa fever imported into Germany were identified. The level of exposure was determined for 157 persons (68%), and 149 (64%) were tested serologically. High-risk or close contact was reported by 30 (19%) of 157 persons. No symptomatic secondary infections were observed. However, Lassa virus-specific immunoglobulin G antibodies were detected in a serum sample obtained from a physician who examined the index patient on day 9 of illness. The physician received ribavirin prophylaxis and did not develop symptoms of Lassa fever. On the basis of these data, the contact was classified as having a probable secondary infection. The study indicates a low risk of transmission during the initial phase of symptomatic Lassa fever, even with high-risk exposures. The risk may increase with progression of disease and increasing virus load.

show abstract

Section: Conclusion and Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…Investigations to assess the risk of secondary infection were undertaken in cases of Lassa fever imported into the United States and Great Britain [4][5][6]. No clinically apparent secondary cases were observed, and serological testing of a subgroup of contacts revealed no asymptomatic infections.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Imported Lassa Fever in Germany: Surveillance and Management of Contact Persons

et al. 2003

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…These results are consistent with those of previous studies, which showed a low risk for person-to-person transmission in hospital settings ( 6 , 9 – 11 , 13 , 17 ). In countries to which LASV is not endemic, ≈40 cases of imported Lassa fever have been reported since LASV was first identified in 1969, and only 1 case of secondary transmission in this type of country has been reported ( 18 ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…In countries to which LASV is not endemic, risk for nosocomial transmission has been reported to be low in persons caring for the hospitalized index patient, even without more special precautions than barrier nursing methods ( 9 – 12 ). Serologic studies in these countries have not demonstrated nosocomial transmission resulting in infections in healthcare workers ( 9 , 10 , 13 ). …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Absence of Nosocomial Transmission of Imported Lassa Fever during Use of Standard Barrier Nursing Methods

Grahn¹,

Bråve²,

Tolfvenstam³

et al. 2018

Emerg. Infect. Dis.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Nosocomial transmission of Lassa virus (LASV) is reported to be low when care for the index patient includes proper barrier nursing methods. We investigated whether asymptomatic LASV infection occurred in healthcare workers who used standard barrier nursing methods during the first 15 days of caring for a patient with Lassa fever in Sweden. Of 76 persons who were defined as having been potentially exposed to LASV, 53 provided blood samples for detection of LASV IgG. These persons also responded to a detailed questionnaire to evaluate exposure to different body fluids from the index patient. LASV-specific IgG was not detected in any of the 53 persons. Five of 53 persons had not been using proper barrier nursing methods. Our results strengthen the argument for a low risk of secondary transmission of LASV in humans when standard barrier nursing methods are used and the patient has only mild symptoms.

show abstract

“…In the past, heroic efforts have been made to trace fellow travellers across international boundaries, such as following the importation of Lassa fever to the USA, with no evidence of transmission in several hundred potential contacts [21]. Within endemic areas, close family contact (in addition to the preparation of bodies for burial) has been implicated in the transmission of most VHFs originating in Africa, but this has only been documented in Western settings for Marburg infection transmitted sexually to a female spouse, and in South America for Argentinean haemorrhagic fever [4] and Andes HPS virus [122].…”

Section: Risks For Fellow Travellers and Family Contactsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Travellers and viral haemorrhagic fevers: what are the risks?

Beeching

Fletcher

Hill

et al. 2010

International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Viral haemorrhagic fevers (VHF) are caused by zoonotic viral infections transmitted to humans directly or by ticks or mosquitoes. The overall risk to travellers is conservatively estimated at <1 in 1 million travel episodes to African countries where infection is present, and febrile patients returning from these countries are at least 1000 times more likely to have malaria than Lassa fever or another VHF. No cases have been reported in fellow travellers exposed to a travelling case and only one asymptomatic seroconversion (to Lassa) has been reported in over 2000 contacts following care of VHF cases in modern Western hospital settings. However, healthcare-associated transmission of infection has been a major problem in some endemic settings. The potential for healthcare-associated infection and the threats posed by unrecognised or new agents necessitate a high index of suspicion and a standardised risk assessment approach to febrile travellers. Travel-related hantavirus infections are increasingly being reported from Europe and the Americas. This article summarises the epidemiology and reports of travel-related VHF cases in the past 40 years, together with strategies for their recognition, management and prevention.

show abstract

Lassa Fever: Response to an Imported Case

Cited by 57 publications

References 12 publications

Imported Lassa Fever in Germany: Surveillance and Management of Contact Persons

Imported Lassa Fever in Germany: Surveillance and Management of Contact Persons

Absence of Nosocomial Transmission of Imported Lassa Fever during Use of Standard Barrier Nursing Methods

Travellers and viral haemorrhagic fevers: what are the risks?

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About