Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2018 Jul 16;5(7):ofy131.
doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofy131. eCollection 2018 Jul.

A Case of Lassa Fever Diagnosed at a Community Hospital-Minnesota 2014

Mary J Choi  1 , Shewangizaw Worku  2 , Barbara Knust  3 , Arnold Vang  4 , Ruth Lynfield  1 , Mark R Mount  2 , Tina Objio  4 , Shelley Brown  3 , Jayne Griffith  1 , Deborah Hulbert  2 , Susan Lippold  4 , Elizabeth Ervin  3 , Ute Ströher  3 , Stacy Holzbauer  1 , Wendolyn Slattery  2 , Faith Washburn  4 , Jane Harper  1 , Mackenzie Koeck  1 , Carol Uher  2 , Pierre Rollin  3 , Stuart Nichol  3 , Ryan Else  2 , Aaron DeVries  1
Affiliations

A Case of Lassa Fever Diagnosed at a Community Hospital-Minnesota 2014

Mary J Choi et al. Open Forum Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Background: In April 2014, a 46-year-old returning traveler from Liberia was transported by emergency medical services to a community hospital in Minnesota with fever and altered mental status. Twenty-four hours later, he developed gingival bleeding. Blood samples tested positive for Lassa fever RNA by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.

Methods: Blood and urine samples were obtained from the patient and tested for evidence of Lassa fever virus infection. Hospital infection control personnel and health department personnel reviewed infection control practices with health care personnel. In addition to standard precautions, infection control measures were upgraded to include contact, droplet, and airborne precautions. State and federal public health officials conducted contract tracing activities among family contacts, health care personnel, and fellow airline travelers.

Results: The patient was discharged from the hospital after 14 days. However, his recovery was complicated by the development of near complete bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. Lassa virus RNA continued to be detected in his urine for several weeks after hospital discharge. State and federal public health authorities identified and monitored individuals who had contact with the patient while he was ill. No secondary cases of Lassa fever were identified among 75 contacts.

Conclusions: Given the nonspecific presentation of viral hemorrhagic fevers, isolation of ill travelers and consistent implementation of basic infection control measures are key to preventing secondary transmission. When consistently applied, these measures can prevent secondary transmission even if travel history information is not obtained, not immediately available, or the diagnosis of a viral hemorrhagic fever is delayed.

Keywords: Lassa fever; contact tracing; infection control; sensorineural hearing loss.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Amorosa V, MacNeil A, McConnell R, et al. . Imported Lassa fever, Pennsylvania, USA, 2010. Emerg Infect Dis 2010; 16:1598–600. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Ogbu O, Ajuluchukwu E, Uneke CJ. Lassa fever in West African sub-region: an overview. J Vector Borne Dis 2007; 44:1–11. - PubMed
    1. Lunkenheimer K, Hufert FT, Schmitz H. Detection of Lassa virus RNA in specimens from patients with Lassa fever by using the polymerase chain reaction. J Clin Microbiol 1990; 28:2689–92. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Macher AM, Wolfe MS. Historical Lassa fever reports and 30-year clinical update. Emerg Infect Dis 2006; 12:835–7. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Imported Lassa fever—New Jersey, 2004. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2004; 53:894–7. - PubMed