The challenges of detecting and responding to a Lassa fever outbreak in an Ebola-affected setting
| Autor: | Alex Gasasira, R.N.C. George, Philomena Raftery, Esther L Hamblion, Thomas Nagbe, E. Dweh, Annika Wendland, George Sie Williams, Victoria Katawera, Emmanuel Musa, L. Soro, Peter Clement |
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| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2018 |
| Předmět: |
Microbiology (medical)
Adult Male Hemorrhagic Fevers Viral Adolescent 030231 tropical medicine Viral hemorrhagic fever Disease Outbreaks lcsh:Infectious and parasitic diseases 03 medical and health sciences Young Adult 0302 clinical medicine Case fatality rate West Africa medicine Humans lcsh:RC109-216 030212 general & internal medicine Lassa fever Child Sweden Disease surveillance business.industry Outbreak Infant General Medicine Hemorrhagic Fever Ebola Middle Aged medicine.disease Liberia Virology Infectious Diseases Specimen collection Child Preschool Ebola Female Medical emergency Sample collection Public Health Contact Tracing business Contact tracing |
| Zdroj: | International Journal of Infectious Diseases, Vol 66, Iss C, Pp 65-73 (2018) |
| ISSN: | 1878-3511 1201-9712 |
| Popis: | Objectives Lassa fever (LF), a priority emerging pathogen likely to cause major epidemics, is endemic in much of West Africa and is difficult to distinguish from other viral hemorrhagic fevers, including Ebola virus disease (EVD). Definitive diagnosis requires laboratory confirmation, which is not widely available in affected settings. The public health action to contain a LF outbreak and the challenges encountered in an EVD-affected setting are reported herein. Methods In February 2016, a rapid response team was deployed in Liberia in response to a cluster of LF cases. Active case finding, case investigation, contact tracing, laboratory testing, environmental investigation, risk communication, and community awareness raising were undertaken. Results From January to June 2016, 53 suspected LF cases were reported through the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response system (IDSR). Fourteen cases (26%) were confirmed for LF, 14 (26%) did not have a sample tested, and 25 (47%) were classified as not a case following laboratory analysis. The case fatality rate in the confirmed cases was 29%. One case of international exportation was reported from Sweden. Difficulties were identified in timely specimen collection, packaging, and transportation (in confirmed cases, the time from sample collection to sample result ranged from 2 to 64 days) and a lack of response interventions for early cases. Conclusions The delay in response to this outbreak could have been related to a number of challenges in this EVD-affected setting: a need to strengthen the IDSR system, develop preparedness plans, train rapid response teams, and build laboratory capacity. Prioritizing these actions will aid in the timely response to future outbreaks. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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