CENTRE FOR HUMAN AND ZOONOTIC VIROLOGY (CHAZVY), CENTRAL RESEARCH LABORATORY, COLLEGE OF MEDICINE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS (CMUL)
- – 2020 RESEARCH and covid-19 response ACTIVITIES
- activities in response to lassa fever, rotavirus, hepatitis e virus and infection prevention control (Ipc)
- The centre in conjunction with the Centre for Human Virology and Genomic, Microbiology Department, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos applied for and won a seed grant worth 7.5 million naira from NIMR to carry out a project titled “Burden of Lassa Fever, Status of Its Management and Prevention in Nigeria”.
Summary: There have been several Lassa fever outbreaks in Nigeria and the death of healthcare workers in the line of duty is regrettably very high. The burden of the disease is not known in the country and only a few cases with clinical suspicion of Lassa fever infection are laboratory confirmed. What then could be responsible for the unconfirmed cases in Nigeria remains a puzzle. Therefore, the study aimed to provide information on the burden, the role of sexual transmission and other viral haemorrhagic fevers responsible for unconfirmed cases in the country. It will also identify possible gaps in the practice of infection control in hospitals warranting the high mortality rate among healthcare workers. This study was carried out in Ondo State which is one of the epi-centre of Lassa fever infection/disease in Nigeria (Ongoing).
