Lassa fever in Benin: description of the 2014 and 2016 epidemics and genetic characterization of a new Lassa virus

Bibliographic Details
Title: Lassa fever in Benin: description of the 2014 and 2016 epidemics and genetic characterization of a new Lassa virus
Authors: Anges Yadouleton, Caroline Picard, Toni Rieger, Frederic Loko, Daniel Cadar, Emile Cossi Kouthon, Emmanuel Obolli Job, Honoré Bankolé, Lisa Oestereich, Fernand Gbaguidi, Meike Pahlman, Beate Becker-Ziaja, Alexandra Journeaux, Delphine Pannetier, Stéphane Mély, Stéphanie Mundweiler, Damien Thomas, Leon Kohossi, Raoul Saizonou, Clement Glele Kakaï, Magloire Da Silva, Sonia Kossoubedie, André Lukusa Kakonku, Pierre M’Pelé, Stephan Gunther, Sylvain Baize, Elisabeth Fichet-Calvet
Source: Emerging Microbes and Infections, Vol 9, Iss 1, Pp 1761-1770 (2020)
Publisher Information: Taylor & Francis Group, 2020.
Publication Year: 2020
Collection: LCC:Infectious and parasitic diseases
LCC:Microbiology
Subject Terms: Lassa fever, Lassa virus, genome, Benin, outbreak, phylogeny, Infectious and parasitic diseases, RC109-216, Microbiology, QR1-502
More Details: We report two outbreaks of Lassa fever that occurred in Benin in 2014 and 2016 with 20 confirmed cases and 50% (10/20) mortality. Benin was not previously considered to be an endemic country for Lassa fever, resulting in a delay to diagnose the disease and its human transmission. Molecular investigations showed the viral genomes to be similar to that of the Togo strain, which is genetically very different from other known strains and confirms the existence of a new lineage. Endemic circulation of Lassa virus in a new territory and the genetic diversity thus confirm that this virus represents a growing threat for West African people. Given the divergence of the Benin strain from the prototypic Josiah Sierra Leone strain frequently used to generate vaccine candidates, the efficacy of vaccine candidates should also be demonstrated with this strain.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 22221751
2222-1751
Relation: https://doaj.org/toc/2222-1751
DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2020.1796528
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/f566fe902bc347b8a381b96b85860e89
Accession Number: edsdoj.f566fe902bc347b8a381b96b85860e89
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals