Laboratory Diagnosis of Lassa Fever
Abstract
Lassa virus remains an important cause of illness in West Africa. The symptoms of Lassa fever are non-specific and mimic those of other endemic infections, especially early in illness, making a clinical diagnosis difficult; therefore, laboratory testing is needed to confirm the diagnosis. Early identification of Lassa fever is crucial for maximizing the benefit of available antiviral therapy as treatment efficacy rapidly decreases following clinical onset of disease. This review provides an overview of some of the currently available diagnostic tests for Lassa fever and their strengths and weaknesses.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 30, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1025790
Entities
People
- Jeffrey W. Koehler
- Vanessa Raabe
Organizations
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases