Strain-specific antibody response to Lassa virus in the local population of west Africa

A case report on Lassa fever and hearing loss: A rare occurrence and review of the literature

“…Research has also shown that the strain of Lassa viruses found at the West African coast varies in its amino-acid sequence (genome) and tends to elaborate exaggerated immune responses, involving high titres of IgG and IgM 14,15 . This increases the risk of inhabitants of endemic areas of Lassa fever with sub-clinical infections from previous exposures to stand a higher risk of developing SNHL during their lifetime.…”

Highly specific detection of antibodies to tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus in humans using a domain III antigen and a sensitive immune complex (IC) ELISA

“…The same method had recently been used to specifically detect antibodies to WN virus 4 and to different Lassa virus strains. 5 The IC ELISA detects immune complexes formed during incubation of human antibodies and a peroxidase-labelled antigen such as ED3. Moreover, almost no background staining is seen even in the presence of undiluted human serum samples.…”

“…46 and 52 sera were collected from healthy adults from Ghana and from Gabon, respectively. 5 Both vector (ticks) and disease are unknown in this region. Also 13 sera of healthy students from Northern Germany without any contact to flaviviruses, 11 sera of people from Hamburg (age 23-55 years) with vaccination against yellow fever and late sera of 46 Europeans with dengue fever (age 18-45 years) were included.…”

Laboratory Diagnosis of Lassa Fever

“…For example, Emmerich and colleagues evaluated the anti-Lassa virus antibody response in a human sample set from West Africa by immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and reverse enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) using several different Lassa virus strains (31). The authors found differing antibody responses depending on the virus strain used; stronger antibody responses were observed with local Lassa virus strains (31).…”

“…For example, Emmerich and colleagues evaluated the anti-Lassa virus antibody response in a human sample set from West Africa by immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and reverse enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) using several different Lassa virus strains (31). The authors found differing antibody responses depending on the virus strain used; stronger antibody responses were observed with local Lassa virus strains (31). Reassortant virus ML29, containing the L RNA segment of Mopeia virus and the S RNA segment of Lassa virus (Josiah strain), provides protection when injected into guinea pigs against distantly related strains of Lassa virus from Nigeria; ML29 could potentially serve as a broadly cross-reacting reagent for assay development (32,33).…”