Pathogens that Cause Illness Clinically Indistinguishable from Lassa Fever, Nigeria, 2018

Emerg Infect Dis. 2022 May;28(5):994-997. doi: 10.3201/eid2805.211153. Epub 2022 Feb 28.

Abstract

During the 2018 Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria, samples from patients with suspected Lassa fever but negative Lassa virus PCR results were processed through custom gene expression array cards and metagenomic sequencing. Results demonstrated no single etiology, but bacterial and viral pathogens (including mixed co-infections) were detected.

Keywords: Lassa fever; Lassa virus; Nigeria; TaqMan Array Card; West Africa; differential diagnosis; sequencing; viruses.

MeSH terms

  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Humans
  • Lassa Fever* / diagnosis
  • Lassa Fever* / epidemiology
  • Lassa virus / genetics
  • Nigeria / epidemiology
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction