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Lassa Fever Outbreak in Southwestern Nigeria: The Ekiti State Response amidst Economic Recession

Received: 13 February 2017     Accepted: 22 February 2017     Published: 21 March 2017
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Abstract

A confirmed case in a community requires prompt isolation of affected patients, good infection prevention and control practices, and rigorous contact tracing to stop outbreaks. This study depicts the highlights of the Ekiti state’s response to its first confirmed Lassa fever outbreak. The approach used was a coordinated, and integrated rapid implementation of Lassa control measures using multidisciplinary teams. After with approproprate political will, Emmergency funds were rapidly mobilized. Seven response teams were constituted to mount an effective and high quality response. The Lassa fever Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and incident management system was activated to effectively coordinate the response. Clinical, epidemiological, laboratory data, surveillance records and hospital statistics were analyzed during the outbreak. Daily situation reports of the response activities were disseminated to all stakeholders. Throughout the outbreak, the state recorded one confirmed case and nine suspected cases. Their age ranges from 17 years to 53 years with the median age of 25 years. Seventy (70%) of the cases were males. The state recorded 2 deaths during the outbreak but all had negative Laboratory results. The 10 cases were detected from four LGAs across the state. Seventy percent of the cases presented with acute fever (>38°C) while 60% presented with bleeding tendencies. Other major symptoms and signs that were common among the cases were sore throat and severe headache, and generalized weakness and muscle pain. The lessons learned support the significance of intersectorial collaboration and political will in response to outbreak at the provincial or state. However, challenges to control efforts included inadequate local laboratory capacity and fear among health workers, panic response among the general populace as well as deficient emergency preparedness.

Published in Central African Journal of Public Health (Volume 3, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.cajph.20170302.11
Page(s) 11-18
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2017. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Lassa Fever, Ekiti State, Outbreak Response

References
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[2] Fichet-Calvet E, Rogers DJ. Risk maps of Lassa fever in West Africa. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2009; 3 (3): e388.
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[4] Ehichioya DU, Asogun DA, Ehimuan J, Okokhere PO, Pahlmann M, Ölschläger S, et al. Hospital‐based surveillance for Lassa fever in Edo State, Nigeria, 2005–2008. Tropical Medicine & International Health. 2012; 17 (8): 1001-4.
[5] Gillespie AM, Obregon R, El Asawi R, Richey C, Manoncourt E, Joshi K, et al. Social Mobilization and Community Engagement Central to the Ebola Response in West Africa: Lessons for Future Public Health Emergencies. Global Health: Science and Practice. 2016; 4 (4): 626-46.
[6] Shuaib F, Gunnala R, Musa EO, Mahoney FJ, Oguntimehin O, Nguku PM, et al. Ebola virus disease outbreak—Nigeria, July–September 2014. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2014; 63 (39): 867-72.
[7] Marin MA, Thompson CC, Freitas FS, Fonseca EL, Aboderin AO, Zailani SB, et al. Cholera outbreaks in Nigeria are associated with multidrug resistant atypical El Tor and non-O1/non-O139 Vibrio cholerae. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2013; 7 (2): e2049.
[8] Mohammed I, Nasidi A, Alkali A, Garbati M, Ajayi-Obe E, Audu KA, et al. A severe epidemic of meningococcal meningitis in Nigeria, 1996. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 2000; 94 (3): 265-70.
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[15] Oleribe OO, Crossey MME, Taylor-Robinson SD. Nigerian response to the 2014 Ebola viral disease outbreak: lessons and cautions. The Pan African medical journal. 2015; 22 (Suppl 1).
[16] Abubakar I, Rangaka MX, Lipman M. Investigating emerging infectious diseases. Infectious Disease Epidemiology. 2016: 87.
[17] Nguku P, Oyemakinde A, Sabitu K, Olayinka A, Ajayi I, Fawole O, et al. Training and service in public health, Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training, 2008–2014. Pan African medical journal. 2014 (ARTISSUE).
[18] Mir AM, Shaikh MS, Qomariyah SN, Rashida G, Khan M, Masood I. Using community informants to estimate maternal mortality in a rural district in Pakistan: a feasibility study. Journal of pregnancy. 2015; 2015.
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[20] Hadi CM. Ribavirin for Lassa Fever Postexposure Prophylaxis-Volume 16, Number 12—December 2010-Emerging Infectious Disease journal-CDC. 2010.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Aduayi Victor Adovi, Ibikunle Oluwafunmilayo, Fashola Adebayo Matthew, Yusuf Musah, Odu Olusola, et al. (2017). Lassa Fever Outbreak in Southwestern Nigeria: The Ekiti State Response amidst Economic Recession. Central African Journal of Public Health, 3(2), 11-18. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cajph.20170302.11

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    ACS Style

    Aduayi Victor Adovi; Ibikunle Oluwafunmilayo; Fashola Adebayo Matthew; Yusuf Musah; Odu Olusola, et al. Lassa Fever Outbreak in Southwestern Nigeria: The Ekiti State Response amidst Economic Recession. Cent. Afr. J. Public Health 2017, 3(2), 11-18. doi: 10.11648/j.cajph.20170302.11

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    AMA Style

    Aduayi Victor Adovi, Ibikunle Oluwafunmilayo, Fashola Adebayo Matthew, Yusuf Musah, Odu Olusola, et al. Lassa Fever Outbreak in Southwestern Nigeria: The Ekiti State Response amidst Economic Recession. Cent Afr J Public Health. 2017;3(2):11-18. doi: 10.11648/j.cajph.20170302.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.cajph.20170302.11,
      author = {Aduayi Victor Adovi and Ibikunle Oluwafunmilayo and Fashola Adebayo Matthew and Yusuf Musah and Odu Olusola and Oluwafemi Omoniyi Stephen and Olomojobi Folakemi and Ojo Simeon Olurotimi and Omole Ayotunde and Onwu Victor and Bamidele Oni},
      title = {Lassa Fever Outbreak in Southwestern Nigeria: The Ekiti State Response amidst Economic Recession},
      journal = {Central African Journal of Public Health},
      volume = {3},
      number = {2},
      pages = {11-18},
      doi = {10.11648/j.cajph.20170302.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cajph.20170302.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.cajph.20170302.11},
      abstract = {A confirmed case in a community requires prompt isolation of affected patients, good infection prevention and control practices, and rigorous contact tracing to stop outbreaks. This study depicts the highlights of the Ekiti state’s response to its first confirmed Lassa fever outbreak. The approach used was a coordinated, and integrated rapid implementation of Lassa control measures using multidisciplinary teams. After with approproprate political will, Emmergency funds were rapidly mobilized. Seven response teams were constituted to mount an effective and high quality response. The Lassa fever Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and incident management system was activated to effectively coordinate the response. Clinical, epidemiological, laboratory data, surveillance records and hospital statistics were analyzed during the outbreak. Daily situation reports of the response activities were disseminated to all stakeholders. Throughout the outbreak, the state recorded one confirmed case and nine suspected cases. Their age ranges from 17 years to 53 years with the median age of 25 years. Seventy (70%) of the cases were males. The state recorded 2 deaths during the outbreak but all had negative Laboratory results. The 10 cases were detected from four LGAs across the state. Seventy percent of the cases presented with acute fever (>38°C) while 60% presented with bleeding tendencies. Other major symptoms and signs that were common among the cases were sore throat and severe headache, and generalized weakness and muscle pain. The lessons learned support the significance of intersectorial collaboration and political will in response to outbreak at the provincial or state. However, challenges to control efforts included inadequate local laboratory capacity and fear among health workers, panic response among the general populace as well as deficient emergency preparedness.},
     year = {2017}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Lassa Fever Outbreak in Southwestern Nigeria: The Ekiti State Response amidst Economic Recession
    AU  - Aduayi Victor Adovi
    AU  - Ibikunle Oluwafunmilayo
    AU  - Fashola Adebayo Matthew
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    AU  - Oluwafemi Omoniyi Stephen
    AU  - Olomojobi Folakemi
    AU  - Ojo Simeon Olurotimi
    AU  - Omole Ayotunde
    AU  - Onwu Victor
    AU  - Bamidele Oni
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    JF  - Central African Journal of Public Health
    JO  - Central African Journal of Public Health
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    PB  - Science Publishing Group
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    AB  - A confirmed case in a community requires prompt isolation of affected patients, good infection prevention and control practices, and rigorous contact tracing to stop outbreaks. This study depicts the highlights of the Ekiti state’s response to its first confirmed Lassa fever outbreak. The approach used was a coordinated, and integrated rapid implementation of Lassa control measures using multidisciplinary teams. After with approproprate political will, Emmergency funds were rapidly mobilized. Seven response teams were constituted to mount an effective and high quality response. The Lassa fever Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and incident management system was activated to effectively coordinate the response. Clinical, epidemiological, laboratory data, surveillance records and hospital statistics were analyzed during the outbreak. Daily situation reports of the response activities were disseminated to all stakeholders. Throughout the outbreak, the state recorded one confirmed case and nine suspected cases. Their age ranges from 17 years to 53 years with the median age of 25 years. Seventy (70%) of the cases were males. The state recorded 2 deaths during the outbreak but all had negative Laboratory results. The 10 cases were detected from four LGAs across the state. Seventy percent of the cases presented with acute fever (>38°C) while 60% presented with bleeding tendencies. Other major symptoms and signs that were common among the cases were sore throat and severe headache, and generalized weakness and muscle pain. The lessons learned support the significance of intersectorial collaboration and political will in response to outbreak at the provincial or state. However, challenges to control efforts included inadequate local laboratory capacity and fear among health workers, panic response among the general populace as well as deficient emergency preparedness.
    VL  - 3
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    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, College of Medicine, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

  • Epidemiology Unit, Ekiti State Ministry of Health, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

  • Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory, Training Program, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria

  • Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, Nigeria

  • Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, College of Medicine, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

  • Department of Public Health, Ekiti State Ministry of Health, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

  • Department of Public Health, Ekiti State Ministry of Health, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

  • Department of Public Health, Ekiti State Ministry of Health, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

  • Department of Public Health, Ekiti State Ministry of Health, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

  • Epidemiology Unit, Ekiti State Ministry of Health, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

  • Epidemiology Unit, Ekiti State Ministry of Health, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

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