Immunological screening of Lassa virus among health workers and contacts of patients of Lassa fever in Ondo State

Shaibu, JO; Salu, OB; Amoo, OS; Idigbe, I; Musa, AZ; Ezechi, OC; Abejegah, C; Ayodeji, O; Salako, BL; Omilabu, SA; Audu, RA

Journal article

Immunological screening of Lassa virus among health workers and contacts of patients of Lassa fever in Ondo State

Abstract:: Background
The increasing trends of morbidity and mortality of Lassa fever is becoming more alarming in Nigeria. Information about immune response to the virus is limited. At exposure, the level of immunity plays a vital role in the vulnerability of individuals infected.
Objective
Investigating the immune status of health workers, infected cases and contacts of infected cases of Lassa fever in Ondo State.
Study Design
Blood samples were collected from 233 individuals comprising 102 health workers, 22 infected cases and 109 contacts of infected cases from Owo and Ose Local Government Areas and transported in triple level packaging. Plasma samples were analyzed for IgG and IgM markers using ReLASV® Pan-Lassa NP IgG/IgM ELISA Kit (Zalgen Labs, LLC, USA) while RNAs extracted from IgM positive samples were analyzed for LASV RNA according to manufacturers’ instructions.
Result
Among the health workers, 20/102 (19.6%) and 2/102 (2.0%) were IgG and IgM positive respectively. While 16/22 (72.7%) and 14/22 (63.6%) were IgG and IgM positive respectively among the infected cases. Of the contacts of infected cases screened, 64/109 (58.7%) were IgG positive while 4/109 (3.7%) were positive for IgM. There was no detectable LASV RNA in the samples analyzed.
Conclusion
These findings suggest that majority of the health workers are naïve to the virus and hence may be prone to the viral infection. It could also be suggestive that a good personal protective procedure is been practiced by the health workers, hence the low exposure. However, most of the contacts of infected cases show exposure to the virus.

Publication status:: Published

Peer review status:: Peer reviewed

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APA Style

Shaibu, J. O., Salu, O. B., Amoo, O. S., Idigbe, I., Musa, A. Z., Ezechi, O. C., Abejegah, C., Ayodeji, O., Salako, B. L., Omilabu, S. A., & Audu, R. A. (2021). Immunological screening of Lassa virus among health workers and contacts of patients of Lassa fever in Ondo State. Immunobiology, 226(3).

MLA Style

Shaibu, J. O., et al. “Immunological Screening of Lassa Virus among Health Workers and Contacts of Patients of Lassa Fever in Ondo State.” Immunobiology, vol. 226, no. 3, Elsevier, 2021.

Chicago Style

Shaibu, JO, OB Salu, OS Amoo, I Idigbe, AZ Musa, OC Ezechi, C Abejegah, et al. 2021. “Immunological Screening of Lassa Virus among Health Workers and Contacts of Patients of Lassa Fever in Ondo State.” Immunobiology 226 (3).
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