22nd October, 2024
By Jethro Ibileke
An expert of emergent pathogens has revealed that about 37.7 million people in 14 West African countries are at risk of lassa fever infection annually, with over 5,000 deaths.
The Director of Viral and Emergent Pathogens, Control and Research of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Dr Joseph Okoeguale, disclosed this during the weekend.
Okoeguale was delivering a lecture titled, ‘University Community Collaboration in Lassa Fever Research: Advancing Diagnostic Capacity and Vaccine Development in Nigeria”, organised by the College of Medical Sciences, Edo State University, Uzairue.
He further disclosed that no fewer than 21 deaths were recorded from the 240 positive cases of lassa fever documented in Edo State in the first quarter of this year.
“Lassa fever outbreak has continued to occur yearly with growing incidence and increasing geographical spread affecting children, pregnant and non pregnant adults in Nigeria.
“The yearly outbreak of lassa fever has placed enormous strain on all aspects of the health system in Nigeria and the only way to bring a stop to this scourge of disease is by vaccination and prevention,” he said.
While noting that only 20% of those infected are symptomatic while 80% are asymptomatic and do not get sick or present themselves for treatment, he added that lassa fever has continued to cause mortalities in all age groups and in both male and female.
Okoeguale who said that lassa fever has been classified as a priority disease for research and development, added theta the only way to bring a stop to the scourge of the disease is by prevention and vaccine.
The Director of the Institute disclosed that the centre is designing trials that would help in developing new drugs and vaccine for lassa fever.
“We have built and equipped an ultramodern clinical trial and sequencing centre and we commenced the sequencing not only of the Lassa fever virus, but the Covid-19 and monkey pox virus.
“We have recently received approval by the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trial Partnership (EDCTP) to conduct a platform trial of new drugs for Lassa Fever.
“We are currently collaborating with the United State Centre of Disease Control George Town and the Nigeria Centre of Disease Control to sustain a clinical fellowship programme for the clinical management of Lassa Fever and other highly infectious diseases,” Okoeguale revealed.
