Lesson learned from the investigation and response of Lassa fever outbreak, Margibi County, Liberia, 2018: case report
Abstract Background Lassa fever (LF) is a viral hemorrhagic disease caused by the Lassa virus (LASV) and endemic in West African countries with an estimation of 300,000 to 500,000 cases and 5,000 deaths annually. The Margibi County Health Team of Liberia received a report of an unidentified febrile...
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doaj-02b774835e7e470693d732c6b9ea40f92020-11-25T03:50:46ZengBMCBMC Infectious Diseases1471-23342019-07-011911610.1186/s12879-019-4257-zLesson learned from the investigation and response of Lassa fever outbreak, Margibi County, Liberia, 2018: case reportAbyot Bekele Woyessa0Leroy Maximore1Darius Keller2John Dogba3Myer Pajibo4Kumblytee Johnson5Emmanuel Saydee6Julius Monday7Roland Tuopileyi8Nuha Mahmoud9World Health Organization Country Office for LiberiaMargibi County Health TeamWorld Health Organization Country Office for LiberiaNational Public Health Institute of LiberiaMargibi County Health TeamCH Rennie HospitalKakata District Health TeamWorld Health Organization Country Office for LiberiaWorld Health Organization Country Office for LiberiaWorld Health Organization Country Office for LiberiaAbstract Background Lassa fever (LF) is a viral hemorrhagic disease caused by the Lassa virus (LASV) and endemic in West African countries with an estimation of 300,000 to 500,000 cases and 5,000 deaths annually. The Margibi County Health Team of Liberia received a report of an unidentified febrile illness case from the Kakata district. We conducted the investigation to identify the causative agent and the source of infection to support treatment, control and prevention interventions. Case presentation We identified LASV in the blood specimens’ of two patients by Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). Both the confirmed cases have manifested respiratory distress, weakness, and difficulty of swallowing, muscle, joint and back pains, and vomiting with blood. The symptoms started with mild fever and gradually developed. Initially, the primary health facilities have miss-diagnosed the patients as malaria and respiratory tract infections. The primary health facilities have referred the patients to the referral hospital as the patients have failed to respond to antimalarial and antibiotics. The hospital suspected LF and sent blood specimens to the National Reference Laboratory while the patients were on supportive treatment in the isolation room. At the time when the laboratory result returned to the hospital, the patients died of LF illness before ribavirin administered. Conclusions Our investigation revealed that the two hospitalized and deceased febrile cases were associated with LASV. The primary health facilities have failed to recognize the cases as suspected LF at the earliest time possible. The clinicians and health facilities, especially primary health facilities, need to consider LF as a differential diagnosis when the patient failed to respond to anti-malaria and broad-spectrum antibiotics.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12879-019-4257-zLassa feverViral hemorrhagic diseasesContact caseOutbreakCase reportLesson learned |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Abyot Bekele Woyessa Leroy Maximore Darius Keller John Dogba Myer Pajibo Kumblytee Johnson Emmanuel Saydee Julius Monday Roland Tuopileyi Nuha Mahmoud |
spellingShingle |
Abyot Bekele Woyessa Leroy Maximore Darius Keller John Dogba Myer Pajibo Kumblytee Johnson Emmanuel Saydee Julius Monday Roland Tuopileyi Nuha Mahmoud Lesson learned from the investigation and response of Lassa fever outbreak, Margibi County, Liberia, 2018: case report BMC Infectious Diseases Lassa fever Viral hemorrhagic diseases Contact case Outbreak Case report Lesson learned |
author_facet |
Abyot Bekele Woyessa Leroy Maximore Darius Keller John Dogba Myer Pajibo Kumblytee Johnson Emmanuel Saydee Julius Monday Roland Tuopileyi Nuha Mahmoud |
author_sort |
Abyot Bekele Woyessa |
title |
Lesson learned from the investigation and response of Lassa fever outbreak, Margibi County, Liberia, 2018: case report |
title_short |
Lesson learned from the investigation and response of Lassa fever outbreak, Margibi County, Liberia, 2018: case report |
title_full |
Lesson learned from the investigation and response of Lassa fever outbreak, Margibi County, Liberia, 2018: case report |
title_fullStr |
Lesson learned from the investigation and response of Lassa fever outbreak, Margibi County, Liberia, 2018: case report |
title_full_unstemmed |
Lesson learned from the investigation and response of Lassa fever outbreak, Margibi County, Liberia, 2018: case report |
title_sort |
lesson learned from the investigation and response of lassa fever outbreak, margibi county, liberia, 2018: case report |
publisher |
BMC |
series |
BMC Infectious Diseases |
issn |
1471-2334 |
publishDate |
2019-07-01 |
description |
Abstract Background Lassa fever (LF) is a viral hemorrhagic disease caused by the Lassa virus (LASV) and endemic in West African countries with an estimation of 300,000 to 500,000 cases and 5,000 deaths annually. The Margibi County Health Team of Liberia received a report of an unidentified febrile illness case from the Kakata district. We conducted the investigation to identify the causative agent and the source of infection to support treatment, control and prevention interventions. Case presentation We identified LASV in the blood specimens’ of two patients by Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). Both the confirmed cases have manifested respiratory distress, weakness, and difficulty of swallowing, muscle, joint and back pains, and vomiting with blood. The symptoms started with mild fever and gradually developed. Initially, the primary health facilities have miss-diagnosed the patients as malaria and respiratory tract infections. The primary health facilities have referred the patients to the referral hospital as the patients have failed to respond to antimalarial and antibiotics. The hospital suspected LF and sent blood specimens to the National Reference Laboratory while the patients were on supportive treatment in the isolation room. At the time when the laboratory result returned to the hospital, the patients died of LF illness before ribavirin administered. Conclusions Our investigation revealed that the two hospitalized and deceased febrile cases were associated with LASV. The primary health facilities have failed to recognize the cases as suspected LF at the earliest time possible. The clinicians and health facilities, especially primary health facilities, need to consider LF as a differential diagnosis when the patient failed to respond to anti-malaria and broad-spectrum antibiotics. |
topic |
Lassa fever Viral hemorrhagic diseases Contact case Outbreak Case report Lesson learned |
url |
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12879-019-4257-z |
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