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Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases
Lassa Virus-Infected Rodents in Refugee Camps in Guinea: A Looming Threat to Public Health in a Politically Unstable Region
To cite this article:
Joseph Fair, Emily Jentes, Alphonse Inapogui, Kerfella Kourouma, Agustine Goba, Alpha Bah, Michel Tounkara, Mamadi Coulibaly, Robert F. Garry, Daniel G. Bausch.
Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases.
June 2007,
7(2): 167-172.
doi:10.1089/vbz.2006.0581.
Joseph Fair Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana. Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana. Emily Jentes Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana. Alphonse Inapogui International Center for Research on Tropical Infections, N'Zérékoré, Guinea. Kerfella Kourouma International Center for Research on Tropical Infections, N'Zérékoré, Guinea. Agustine Goba International Center for Research on Tropical Infections, N'Zérékoré, Guinea. Alpha Bah International Center for Research on Tropical Infections, N'Zérékoré, Guinea. Michel Tounkara International Center for Research on Tropical Infections, N'Zérékoré, Guinea. Mamadi Coulibaly International Center for Research on Tropical Infections, N'Zérékoré, Guinea. Robert F. Garry Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana. Daniel G. Bausch Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana. Rodent-borne and other communicable diseases are of particular concern to vulnerable populations in complex humanitarian emergencies. We assessed the risk of Lassa fever to refugees and humanitarian aid workers in the Forest Region of Guinea by trapping rodents and testing them for the presence of Lassa virus infection. Our study provides a point prevalence of Lassa virus-infected rodents in various refugee camps in Guinea, suggesting that the risk of disease may be highest in camps further south toward the border with Liberia. The methodology used represents a potential model for rapid public health assessments in the setting of complex humanitarian emergencies.
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