Genetic characterization of Lassa virus strains isolated from 2012 to 2016 in southeastern Nigeria.

ABSTRACT: Lassa virus (LASV) is endemic in parts of West Africa where it causes Lassa fever (LF), a viral hemorrhagic fever with frequent fatal outcomes. The diverse LASV strains are grouped into six major lineages based on the geographical location of the isolated strains. In this study, we have focused on the lineage II strains from southern Nigeria. We determined the viral sequences from positive cases of LF reported at tertiary hospitals in Ebonyi and Enugu between 2012 and 2016. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) showed that 29 out of 123 suspected cases were positive for the virus among which 11 viral gene sequences were determined. Phylogenetic analysis of the complete coding sequences of the four viral proteins revealed that lineage II strains are broadly divided into t

SUBMITTER: Oloniniyi OK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6267959 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature