Lassa fever historical perspective

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ammu Susheela, M.D. [2]

Synonyms and keywords: Lassa hemorrhagic fever; LHF

Overview

The first case of documented Lassa fever was reported in 1969 following the death of 2 nurses in Lassa, Nigeria.[1]Prior to that, similar cases in West Africa were reported and thought to be caused by Lassa fever given the clinical and epidemiological resemblance of the presentation to Lassa fever.

Historical Perspective

• In 1955-1956, epidemics with clinical and epidemiological resemblance to Lassa fever were reported in Eastern Province and Sierra Leone.
• The first case of documented Lassa fever was reported in 1969 following the death of 2 nurses in Lassa, Nigeria. Prior to that, similar cases in West Africa were reported and thought to be caused by Lassa fever given the clinical and epidemiological resemblance of the presentation to Lassa fever.

• Administration of ribavirin for the treatment of Lassa fever was first introduced by Joe McCormick in 1979.
• Lassa fever is uncommon outside West Africa. Only 6 patients with Lassa fever have historically been hospitalized in USA (all 6 patients had recently traveled to West Africa). The most recent case of Lassa fever in USA was reported in May 2015.
  

Year of import	Occupation	From	To	Clinical outcome
1971	Nurse	Sierra Leone	United Kingdom	Survived
1971	Physician	Sierra Leone	United Kingdom	Survived
1972	Nurse	Sierra Leone	United Kingdom	Survived
1974	Physician	Nigeria	Germany	Survived
1975	Physician	Nigeria	United Kingdom	Died
1976	Engineer	Nigeria	United Kingdom	Survived
1980	Aid worker	Upen Volta	Netherlands	Survived
1981	Teacher	Nigeria	United Kingdom	Survived
1982	Diplomat	Nigeria	United Kingdom	Survived
1984	Geologist	Sierra Leone	United Kingdom	Survived
1985	Nurse	Sierra Leone	United Kingdom	Survived
1987	Engineer	Sierra Leone/Liberia	Israel	Survived
1987	Engineer	Sierra Leone	Japan	Survived
1989	Agricultural specialist	Nigeria	Canada	Survived
2000	Student	Cotê d'Ivoire/Burkina Faso/Ghana	Germany	Died
2000	Peace Keeper	CSierra Leone	United Kingdom	Died
2000	Unknown	Nigeria	Germany	Died
2000	Physician	Sierra Leone	Netherlands	Died
2003	Peace Keeper	Sierra Leone	United Kingdom	Survived
2006	-	Sierra Leone	Germany	Survived

Data from the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, as of May 2015

A physician examining a patient with Lassa fever patient in West Africa in 1977.
^{Image retrieved from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - Lassa Fever History}