Impaired psychomotor speed functions in patients who recovered from acute Lassa fever infection: a 30-days follow-up study

Journal article

Background: Some Patients with lassa fever patients do present with delirium and encephalitis symptoms during the vital period that there is paucity of information on the cognitive and mental status of patients who have recovered from acute lassa fever infection.

Aim and Objectives: To determine the cognitive functions of patients who recovered from Lassa fever during a 30-day follow up study.

Methods: Fifty patients with Acute Lassa fever infection were studied along with fifty healthy normal controls who are seronegative to Lassa antibody test. Sociodemographic profile and clinical of the patients were collected along that of the normal, sex and educationally matched controls. Some Blood Investigation were collected from the patients for haematological test, renal and liver functions tests. Patients and Normal controls had neuropsychological test battery and the result were documented. The statistical data were analyzed by SPSS version 22.

Result: The mean age of Lassa fever patients was 41.94 ± 14.54 years while that of the controls was 37.34 ± 12.89. There was no significant difference in the sociodemographic profiles of the Lassa fever patients and the controls subject (p > 0.05). The Lassa patient has significantly prolonged auditory and binary choice reaction times when compared with normal controls (p < 0.05). while there was no difference in the visual reaction times between the Lassa fever patients and controls (p < 0.05). There was severe impairment in auditory reaction times in 14% of Lassa fever patients in the Auditory reaction times subtest.

Conclusion: Patients who recovered from Lassa fever presented with features of psychomotor speed impairment during a 30-day follow up period and this was severe in auditory support is advocated for these patients to improve their cognitive and self-management practices.  

Authors: Sunmonu, TA; Owhin, SO; Abejegah, C; Kareem, AO; Etafo, I

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Acta Scientific
• Journal: Acta Scientific Neurology
• Volume: 6
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 13-18
• Publication date: 2023-05-14
• DOI: 10.31080/asne.2023.06.0631
• ISSN: 2582-1121
• Language: English
• Keywords: cognitive functions;; Nigeria; Lassa fever; viral haemorrhagic fever