Seroprevalence and risk factors for Lassa virus infection in South-West and North-Central Nigeria: a community-based cross-sectional study

• Published in: BMC infectious diseases 2024-10, Vol.24 (1), p.1118-18, Article 1118
• Main Authors: Tiamiyu, Abdulwasiu B, Adegbite, Olutunde A, Freides, Olivia, Frndak, Seth, Mohammed, Samirah Sani, Broach, Erica, Lombardi, Kara, Anyebe, Victor, Akiga, Roseline, Okeke, Ndubuisi C, Feyisayo, Jegede E, Ugwuezumba, Oscar, Akinde, Cassandra, Osuji, Anthonia, Agu, Norah, Analogbei, Tope, Ekweremadu, Chinelo, Bartolanzo, Danielle, Prins, Petra, Fan, Ying, Emekaili, Doris, Abah, Felicia, Chiwetelu, Vincent, Dike, Paul, Isaiah, Esther, Ayogu, Miriam, Ogunkelu, Eunice, Agbaim, Uzoamaka C, Bukunmi, Adelekun, Adamu, Yakubu, Mebrahtu, Tsedal, Zuppe, Anastasia, Johnston, Matthew, Modjarrad, Kayvon, Meri, Helina, Parker, Zahra, Akinwale, Edward, McCauley, Melanie D, Schluck, Glenna, King, David B, Eller, Leigh Anne, Okeji, Nathan, Ayemoba, Ojor R, Collins, Natalie D, Iroezindu, Michael O, Hakre, Shilpa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Antibodies; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Antigens; At risk populations; Child; Child, Preschool; Community-based study; Consent; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dengue fever; Diagnosis; Disease susceptibility; Distribution; Dry season; Emerging infectious disease; Enrollments; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Enzymes; Epidemics; Epidemiology; Evaluation; Exposure; FDA approval; Female; Health aspects; Hepatitis; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Hygiene; Immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Immunoglobulin M; Immunoglobulin M - blood; Infections; Infectious diseases; Laboratories; Lassa fever; Lassa Fever - epidemiology; Lassa virus; Lassa virus - immunology; Local government; Malaria; Male; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Middle Aged; Multivariate analysis; Nigeria; Nigeria - epidemiology; Pregnancy; R&D; Research & development; Risk Factors; Rural Population - statistics & numerical data; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Serology; Seroprevalence; Tropical diseases; Urinalysis; Urine; Vaccines; Vector-borne diseases; Young Adult; Zoonoses
• ISSN: 1471-2334; 1471-2334
• DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09954-1

Understanding the level of exposure to Lassa virus (LASV) in at-risk communities allows for the administration of effective preventive interventions to mitigate epidemics of Lassa fever. We assessed the seroprevalence of LASV antibodies in rural and semiurban communities of two cosmopolitan cities in Nigeria with poorly understood Lassa epidemiology. A cross-sectional study was conducted in ten communities located in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Abuja, and Ikorodu Local Government Area (LGA), Lagos, from February 2nd to July 5th, 2022. Serum samples collected from participants were analyzed for IgG and IgM antibodies using a ReLASV Pan-Lassa NP IgG/IgM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. A questionnaire administered to participants collected self-reported sociodemographic and LASV exposure information. Seroprevalence of LASV IgG/IgM was estimated overall, and by study site. Univariate and multivariate log-binomial models estimated unadjusted and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for site-specific risk factors for LASV seropositivity. Grouped Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) was used for variable selection for multivariate analysis. A total of 628 participants with serum samples were included in the study. Most participants were female (434, 69%), married (459, 73%), and had a median age of 38 years (interquartile range 28-50). The overall seroprevalence was 27% (171/628), with a prevalence of 33% (126/376) in Abuja and 18% (45/252) in Lagos. Based on site-specific grouped LASSO selection, enrollment in the dry season (vs. wet; aPR, 95% CI: 1.73, 1.33-2.24), reported inconsistent washing of fruits and vegetables (aPR, 95% CI: 1.45, 1.10-1.92), and a positive malaria rapid test (aPR, 95% CI: 1.48, 1.09-2.00) were independently associated with LASV seropositivity in Abuja, whereas, only a self-reported history of rhinorrhea (PR, 95% CI: 2.21, 1.31-3.72) was independently associated with Lassa seropositivity in Lagos. The LASV seroprevalence was comparable to that in other areas in Nigeria. Our findings corroborate those from other studies on the importance of limiting human exposure to rodents and focusing on behavioral factors such as poor hygiene practices to reduce exposure to LASV.