Background: Lassa fever (LF) is an acute viral haemorrhagic infection, endemic in West Africa. Confirmatory diagnosis and treatment (ribavirin) is difficult, expensive, and restricted to specialised hospitals. Among confirmed and suspected LF cases, we report on clinical and laboratory features, timing and administration of ribavirin and the relationship with case fatality.
Methods: We conducted an audit of patient files of suspected LF cases admitted to a pediatric and obstetric referral hospital in rural Sierra Leone (April 2011 to February 2012).
Results: There were 84 suspected LF cases; 36 (43%) were laboratory-confirmed cases, of whom only 20 (56%) received ribavirin after a median duration of eight days (IQR 314 days) of hospital admission. Of 16 patients who did not receive ribavirin, 14 (87%) died before ribavirin treatment could be commenced. Starting ribavirin within six days of admission was associated with a case fatality of 29% (2/7), while starting ribavirin later than six days was associated with a case fatality of 50% (6/12). Among the 48 suspected LF cases without laboratory confirmation, there were 21 (44%) deaths.
Conclusions: These findings highlight shortcomings in LF management, including diagnostic and treatment delays. More research and development efforts should be devoted to this 'neglected disease'.
Keywords: Case fatality; Children; Lassa fever; Operational research; Ribavirin; Sierra Leone.