Résumé de : BAJANI (MD), TOMORI (O), ROLLIN (PE), HARRY (TO), BUKBUK (ND), WILSON (L), CHILDS (JE), PETERS (CJ) & KSAISEK (TG) - 1997 - A survey for antibodies to Lassa virus among health workers in Nigeria. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene, 1997.


A study was conducted among 552 health workers at 6 health facilities in Nigeria. Lassa virus immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibody was detected in 12.3%, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Antibody prevalence in the 6 health centres ranged from 1.2% to 27.3%. Prevalences were higher in primary and secondary health facilities than in tertiary centres. Seroprevalences ranged from 1.7% to 23.7% among different occupational groups of health workers; the highest observed antibody prevalence was among ward aids. Lassa virus IgM antibody, indicating recent infection, was present in 6 of the health workers, 5 of whom were ward aids and one was a nurse. All of the health workers with specific IgM came from a single facility in Lafia, sampled during an outbreak of Lassa fever.