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Influence of Landscape Patterns on Exposure to Lassa Fever Virus, Guinea

Longet, Stephanie, Leggio, Cristina, Bore, Joseph Akoi, Key, Stephanie, Tipton, Tom, Hall, Yper, Koundouno, Fara Raymond, Bower, Hilary, Bhattacharyya, Tapan, Magassouba, N’Faly, and others. (2023) Influence of Landscape Patterns on Exposure to Lassa Fever Virus, Guinea. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 29 (2). pp. 304-313. ISSN 1080-6040. (doi:10.3201/eid2902.212525) (KAR id:101351)

Abstract

Lassa fever virus (LASV) is the causative agent of Lassa fever, a disease endemic in West Africa. Exploring the relationships between environmental factors and LASV transmission across ecologically diverse regions can provide crucial information for the design of appropriate interventions and disease monitoring. We investigated LASV exposure in 2 ecologically diverse regions of Guinea. Our results showed that exposure to LASV was heterogenous between and within sites. LASV IgG seropositivity was 11.9% (95% CI 9.7%–14.5%) in a coastal study site in Basse-Guinée, but it was 59.6% (95% CI 55.5%–63.5%) in a forested study site located in Guinée Forestière. Seropositivity increased with age in the coastal site. We also found significant associations between exposure risk for LASV and landscape fragmentation in coastal and forested regions. Our study highlights the potential link between environmental change and LASV emergence and the urgent need for research on land management practices that reduce disease risks.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.3201/eid2902.212525
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences
Q Science > QR Microbiology > QR355 Virology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Biosciences
Depositing User: Jeremy Rossman
Date Deposited: 21 May 2023 00:23 UTC
Last Modified: 24 May 2023 08:48 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/101351 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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