Case series of outcome of newborn babies exposed to Lassa fever virus infection

Abstract

Lassa fever (LF) is an acute viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus, a zoonotic infection transmitted by the infected multimammate mouse which is endemic in West African countries. It affects all ages contributing to high maternal and neonatal mortality rates. Neonates are at risk of vertical and horizontal transmission of Lassa virus. We report a series of six newborns, three of whom were delivered to Lassa fever positive mothers and were managed as exposed babies while the remaining three were diagnosed with neonatal Lassa fever. None of the babies exposed to the virus became infected and two of these exposed babies had a positive outcome. All the babies with neonatal Lassa fever died days after birth even before confirming the diagnosis and initiating ribavirin treatment. This highlights the need for prompt diagnosis in utero with treatment of mother before delivery to improve the neonatal outcome. Also, the need to commence intravenous ribavirin treatment in highly suspicious cases of neonatal Lassa fever while awaiting confirmation of the diagnosis is emphasized.