Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health

<Previous Article In Issue
Next Article In Issue>
Volume 9, Issue 2, June 2019, Pages 125 - 127

Detection of Antibody and Antigen for Lassa Virus Nucleoprotein in Monkeys from Southern Nigeria

Authors
Bamidele Nyemike Ogunro1, 2, 3, *, Babasola Oluseyi Olugasa2, 3, Adeyemi Kayode4, 5, Olayinka Olabisi Ishola3, Oluseyi Noah Kolawole2, Eugene Amiewanlen Odigie6, Christian Happi4
1Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
2Centre for Control and Prevention of Zoonoses, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
3Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
4African Center for Excellence in Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
5Department of Biological Sciences, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
6Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria
*Corresponding author. Email: ogunrob@gmail.com
Corresponding Author
Bamidele Nyemike Ogunro
Received 23 February 2019, Accepted 13 April 2019, Available Online 1 May 2019.
DOI
10.2991/jegh.k.190421.001How to use a DOI?
Keywords
ELISA; Lassa fever virus; monkeys; sylvatic cycle
Abstract

Lassa fever is a deadly viral haemorrhagic fever caused by Lassa Virus (LASV). Rodents, especially, Mystomys natalensis, are the known reservoirs of LASV and humans are the defined hosts. Monkeys share many illnesses with humans and experimental LASV infections in monkeys are fatal but natural LASV infection of monkeys has not been reported. Serum samples obtained between August 2015 and December 2017 from 62 monkeys belonging to six species in Southern Nigeria were tested for LASV as part of an ongoing surveillance of monkeys in the region for zoonotic pathogens. Commercially available Recombinant LASV (ReLASV) Pan-Lassa enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test kits (Zalgen Labs, Germantown, MD, USA) were used to detect antibodies (IgG and IgM) and antigen specific for LASV nucleoprotein in the sera. Lassa-fever-specific IgG and IgM, and antigen specific for LASV nucleoprotein were detected in 5/62, 0/62, and 1/62 samples, respectively. The presence of LASV-specific antibodies in the sera suggests natural exposure to the virus, while the presence of LASV antigen may mean that monkeys are carriers of the virus. There is a need to broaden Lassa fever surveillance to include nonhuman primates (NHPs) for their probable role in the epidemiology of the disease.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • •

    Rodents are the natural reservoirs of Lassa fever virus (LASV) and humans are the defined hosts.

  • •

    Experimental LASV infections in non-human primates (NHP) are fatal but natural infection of NHP with the virus have not been reported.

  • •

    We detected antigen and antibody specific for LASV in free-living Monkeys from southern Nigeria which implies that monkeys in the region are naturally exposed to LASV and are probable carriers of the virus.

Copyright
© 2019 Atlantis Press International B.V.
Open Access
This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

Download article (PDF)
View full text (HTML)

<Previous Article In Issue
Next Article In Issue>
Journal
Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
Volume-Issue
9 - 2
Pages
125 - 127
Publication Date
2019/05/01
ISSN (Online)
2210-6014
ISSN (Print)
2210-6006
DOI
10.2991/jegh.k.190421.001How to use a DOI?
Copyright
© 2019 Atlantis Press International B.V.
Open Access
This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

Cite this article

risenwbib
TY  - JOUR
AU  - Bamidele Nyemike Ogunro
AU  - Babasola Oluseyi Olugasa
AU  - Adeyemi Kayode
AU  - Olayinka Olabisi Ishola
AU  - Oluseyi Noah Kolawole
AU  - Eugene Amiewanlen Odigie
AU  - Christian Happi
PY  - 2019
DA  - 2019/05/01
TI  - Detection of Antibody and Antigen for Lassa Virus Nucleoprotein in Monkeys from Southern Nigeria
JO  - Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
SP  - 125
EP  - 127
VL  - 9
IS  - 2
SN  - 2210-6014
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/jegh.k.190421.001
DO  - 10.2991/jegh.k.190421.001
ID  - Ogunro2019
ER  -