Resources

Lassa Fever: a rodent-human interaction

This resource examines the sites of interactions between humans and the multimammate mouse, Mastomys natalensis. It presents findings such as new arenaviruses in other African rodents and in snakes, that  argue preferably toward the host-switching concept. The recent emergence in Sierra Leone, the absence of virus positive Mastomys between the two endemic zones and poor virus diversity in the Mano River area also point in the direction of a unique import of Lassa virus from Nigeria to Sierra Leone during the 19th century. This resource also discusses the hypothesis of human displacements through the Atlantic slave trade and its abolition in 1807.

Read more

Power, fairness and trust : understanding and engaging with vaccine trial participants and communities in the setting up the EVOVAC-Salone vaccine trial in Sierra Leone

In this article the authors discuss the implementation of an Ebola vaccine trial in Kambia district in Sierra Leone during and after the epidemic. They analyze the role of social science research for the development of community engagement strategies. The authors give special attention to the analysis of rumours as source of information and explanation about resistance rooted in a much deeper sociopolitical context.

Read more

Safe intensive-care management of a severe case of Lassa fever with simple barrier nursing techniques

This resource describes the case-management of Lassa fever in a specific patient and the difficulties encountered in repatriating her for diagnosis and management, which is unavailable in Sierra Leone, are described.The experience with this case has implications for the medical care and safe handling of Lassa fever in both endemic and nonendemic areas.

Read more

Lassa fever: Epidemiology, clinical features, and social consequences

This resource describes the epidemiology of Lassa fever and its vector, as well as the clinical course and management of the disease. It then reports on current treatment efforts, surveillance and disease control before presenting community perspectives through a knowledge, attitude and practice survey and a qualitative study.  

Read more

WHO: 1996 - Lassa fever in Sierra Leone - update 2

The conclusion of the WHO support mission is that a major epidemic of Lassa Fever has occurred in Kailahun and Kenema Districts and is continuing as unusually large numbers of severely ill patients are still being admitted to hospital, with a large number of deaths still occurring.

Read more

Emerging disease or emerging diagnosis?: Lassa fever and Ebola in Sierra Leone

This article looks beyond Ebola in 2014 to the history of efforts to control VHFs in the Mano River and challenges the idea that there was a vacuum of knowledge. Highlighted instead are politics of knowledge which have run through global health and which have prioritized particular forms of knowledge and ways of dealing with disease. Ethnographic research on the emergence of Lassa and the subsequent emergence of Ebola in West Africa is presented, focusing on the development of technologies and institutions to detect and manage both viruses.

Read more

Lassa fever

In a study of Lassa fever in Sierra Leone, West Africa, this paper identifies two variables associated with a high risk of death, and evaluates the efficacy of ribavirin and Lassa virus–convalescent plasma for the treatment of Lassa fever.

Read more