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Yadouleton A, Picard C, Rieger T, Loko F, Cadar D, Kouthon EC, Job EO, Bankolé H, Oestereich L, Gbaguidi F, Pahlman M, Becker-Ziaja B, Journeaux A, Pannetier D, Mély S, Mundweiler S, Thomas D, Kohossi L, Saizonou R, Kakaï CG, Da Silva M, Kossoubedie S, Kakonku AL, M'Pelé P, Gunther S, Baize S, Fichet-Calvet E. Lassa fever in Benin: description of the 2014 and 2016 epidemics and genetic characterization of a new Lassa virus. Emerg Microbes Infect 2021; 9:1761-1770. [PMID: 32723007 PMCID: PMC7473144 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2020.1796528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Caroline Picard
- Virology Department, Institut Pasteur CNR des fièvres hémorragiques virales (CNR FHV), Lyon, France
| | - Toni Rieger
- Virology Department, Bernhard-Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Daniel Cadar
- Virology Department, Bernhard-Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Lisa Oestereich
- Virology Department, Bernhard-Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Meike Pahlman
- Virology Department, Bernhard-Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Beate Becker-Ziaja
- Virology Department, Bernhard-Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Stéphane Mély
- INSERM - Jean Mérieux BSL4Laboratory, CNR FHV, Lyon, France
| | | | - Damien Thomas
- INSERM - Jean Mérieux BSL4Laboratory, CNR FHV, Lyon, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Stephan Gunther
- Virology Department, Bernhard-Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sylvain Baize
- Laboratoire des Fièvres Hémorragiques Virales, Cotonou, Benin
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