Population structure of Lassa Mammarenavirus in West Africa.

ABSTRACT: Lassa mammarenavirus (LASV) is the etiologic agent of Lassa fever. In endemic regions in West Africa, LASV genetic diversity tends to cluster by geographic area. Seven LASV lineages are recognized, but the role of viral genetic determinants on disease presentation in humans is uncertain. We investigated the geographic structure and distribution of LASV in West Africa. We found strong spatial clustering of LASV populations, with two major east-west and north-south diversity gradients. Analysis of ancestry components indicated that known LASV lineages diverged from an ancestral population that most likely circulated in Nigeria, although alternative locations, such as Togo, cannot be excluded. Extant sequences carrying the largest contribution of this ancestral population include the prototyp

SUBMITTER: Forni D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7232344 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature