Risk factors for Lassa fever infection among survivors at the Federal Medical Center, Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background and Aim: There is insufficient information about the successfully managed Lassa fever (LF) patients in Nigeria. This study aimed to utilize the One Health approach to identify the risk factors for LF infection among LF patients who were managed and on follow-up at the Federal Medical Center, Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was done on 101 LF survivors who were managed and on follow-up at the Federal Medical Center. The data were collected using a semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. The respondents were assessed for symptoms and factors that might have predisposed them to LF, and the data were analyzed with SPSS version 23 (IBM Corp., NY, USA). Those who had more than 3 identifiable risks were categorized as high risk. Descriptive statistics were done, and the association between sociodemographic characteristics and high risk was explored using Chi-square test. Results: The median age of the respondents was 33 years (8-85 years); 62 (61.4%) were male, and 93 (92.1%) have heard of LF before diagnosis. The perceived cause of LF infection among the respondents included the consumption of food contaminated by rats' feces among 57 (56.4%) persons, while 16 (15.8) attributed their infection to contact with LF-infected persons. Among the respondents with primary education and below, 5 (29.4%) were at higher risk for LF infection compared to 7 (8.3%) with secondary education and above (p=0.014). Conclusion: The mass media and other sources of information should be well-harnessed in the communication of risks and preventive practices for LF. Public information campaigns should be organized to discourage bush burning in affected communities.