Abstract
There are two types of viral diagnostics: (1) those that detect components of the pathogen (like viral RNA or proteins) and (2) those that detect host molecules that rise or fall as a consequence of pathogen infection (like anti-viral antibodies or virus-induced inflammatory cytokines). Quantitative PCR to detect Lassa RNA, and clinical chemistry to detect high liver enzymes (AST/ALT) are commonly used to diagnose Lassa fever. Here, we discuss the various types of diagnostics for Lassa fever and the urgent need for early diagnosis. We also describe a protocol for using the attenuated Lassa vaccine candidate, ML29 , as an antigen for detecting Lassa-specific antibodies. Since antibodies are developed late in the progression of Lassa fever disease, this is not an early diagnostic, but is more useful in surveillance of the population to determine the sero-prevalence of antibodies to Lassa virus (LASV ), and to define treatment options for people in close contact with a Lassa-infected person.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
McCormick JB, King IJ, Webb PA, Johnson KM, O'Sullivan R, Smith ES, Trippel S, Tong TC (1987) A case-control study of the clinical diagnosis and course of Lassa fever. J Infect Dis 155:445–455
Djavani MM, Crasta OR, Zapata JC, Fei Z, Folkerts O, Sobral B, Swindells M, Bryant J, Davis H, Pauza CD, Lukashevich IS, Hammamieh R, Jett M, Salvato MS (2007) Early blood profiles of virus infection in a monkey model for Lassa fever. J Virol 81:7960–7973
Bausch DG, Rollin PE, Demby AH, Coulibaly M, Kanu J, Conteh AS, Wagoner KD, McMullan LK, Bowen MD, Peters CJ, Ksiazek TG (2000) Diagnosis and clinical virology of Lassa fever as evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, indirect fluorescent-antibody test, and virus isolation. J Clin Microbiol 38:2670–2677
Zaas AK, Chen M, Varkey J, Veldman T, Hero AO 3rd, Lucas J, Huang Y, Turner R, Gilbert A, Lambkin-Williams R, Oien NC, Nicholson B, Kingsmore S, Carin L, Woods CW, Ginsburg GS (2009) Gene expression signatures diagnose influenza and other symptomatic respiratory viral infections in humans. Cell Host Microbe 6:207–217
Woods CW, McClain MT, Chen M, Zaas AK, Nicholson BP, Varkey J, Veldman T, Kingsmore SF, Huang Y, Lambkin-Williams R, Gilbert AG, Hero AO 3rd, Ramsburg E, Glickman S, Lucas JE, Carin L, Ginsburg GS (2013) A host transcriptional signature for presymptomatic detection of infection in humans exposed to influenza H1N1 or H3N2. PLoS One 8:e52198
Grove JN, Branco LM, Boisen ML, Muncy IJ, Henderson LA, Schieffellin JS, Robinson JE, Bangura JJ, Fonnie M, Schoepp RJ, Hensley LE, Seisay A, Fair JN, Garry RF (2011) Capacity building permitting comprehensive monitoring of a severe case of Lassa hemorrhagic fever in Sierra Leone with a positive outcome: case report. Virol J 8:314
Lunkenheimer K, Hufert FT, Schmitz H (1990) Detection of Lassa virus RNA in specimens from patients with Lassa fever by using the polymerase chain reaction. J Clin Microbiol 28:2689–2692
Trappier SG, Conaty AL, Farrar BB, Auperin DD, McCormick JB, Fisher-Hoch SP (1993) Evaluation of the polymerase chain reaction for diagnosis of Lassa virus infection. Am J Trop Med Hyg 49:214–221
Demby AH, Chamberlain J, Brown DW, Clegg CS (1994) Early diagnosis of Lassa fever by reverse transcription-PCR. J Clin Microbiol 32:2898–2903
Drosten C, Gottig S, Schilling S, Asper M, Panning M, Schmitz H, Gunther S (2002) Rapid detection and quantification of RNA of Ebola and Marburg viruses, Lassa virus, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, Rift Valley fever virus, dengue virus, and yellow fever virus by real-time reverse transcription-PCR. J Clin Microbiol 40:2323–2330
Lukashevich IS, Carrion R Jr, Salvato MS, Mansfield K, Brasky K, Zapata J, Cairo C, Goicochea M, Hoosien GE, Ticer A, Bryant J, Davis H, Hammamieh R, Mayda M, Jett M, Patterson J (2008) Safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of the ML29 reassortant vaccine for Lassa fever in small non-human primates. Vaccine 26:5246–5254
Vieth S, Drosten C, Lenz O, Vincent M, Omilabu S, Hass M, Becker-Ziaja B, ter Meulen J, Nichol ST, Schmitz H, Gunther S (2007) RT-PCR assay for detection of Lassa virus and related old world arenaviruses targeting the L gene. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 101:1253–1264
Panning M, Emmerich P, Olschlager S, Bojenko S, Koivogui L, Marx A, Lugala PC, Gunther S, Bausch DG, Drosten C (2010) Laboratory diagnosis of Lassa fever, Liberia. Emerg Infect Dis 16:1041–1043
Bloch A (1978) A serological survey of Lassa fever in Liberia. Bull World Health Organ 56:811–813
Arnold RB, Gary GW (1977) A neutralization test survey for Lassa fever activity in Lassa, Nigeria. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 71:152–154
Goldwasser RA, Elliott LH, Johnson KM (1980) Preparation and use of erythrocyte-globulin conjugates to Lassa virus in reversed passive hemagglutination and inhibition. J Clin Microbiol 11:593–599
Tomori O, Johnson KM, Kiley MP, Elliott LH (1987) Standardization of a plaque assay for Lassa virus. J Med Virol 22:77–89
Wulff H, Lange JV (1975) Indirect immunofluorescence for the diagnosis of Lassa fever infection. Bull World Health Organ 52:429–436
Van der Waals FW, Pomeroy KL, Goudsmit J, Asher DM, Gajdusek DC (1986) Hemorrhagic fever virus infections in an isolated rainforest area of Central Liberia. Limitations of the indirect immunofluorescence slide test for antibody screening in Africa. Trop Geogr Med 38:209–214
Lukashevich IS, Clegg JC, Sidibe K (1993) Lassa virus activity in Guinea: distribution of human antiviral antibody defined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with recombinant antigen. J Med Virol 40:210–217
Niklasson BS, Jahrling PB, Peters CJ (1984) Detection of Lassa virus antigens and Lassa virus-specific immunoglobulins G and M by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. J Clin Microbiol 20:239–244
Jahrling PB, Niklasson BS, McCormick JB (1985) Early diagnosis of human Lassa fever by ELISA detection of antigen and antibody. Lancet 1:250–252
Ivanov AP, Tkachenko EA, van der Groen G, Butenko AM, Konstantinov OK (1986) Indirect immunoenzyme method for the laboratory diagnosis of Lassa and Ebola hemorrhagic fevers. Vopr Virusol 31:186–190
Barber GN, Clegg JC, Lloyd G (1990) Expression of the Lassa virus nucleocapsid protein in insect cells infected with a recombinant baculovirus: application to diagnostic assays for Lassa virus infection. J Gen Virol 71(Pt 1):19–28
Lukashevich IS, Patterson J, Carrion R, Moshkoff D, Ticer A, Zapata J, Brasky K, Geiger R, Hubbard GB, Bryant J, Salvato MS (2005) A live attenuated vaccine for Lassa fever made by reassortment of Lassa and Mopeia viruses. J Virol 79:13934–13942
Emmerich P, Thome-Bolduan C, Drosten C, Gunther S, Ban E, Sawinsky I, Schmitz H (2006) Reverse ELISA for IgG and IgM antibodies to detect Lassa virus infections in Africa. J Clin Virol 37:277–281
Ter Meulen J, Koulemou K, Wittekindt T, Windisch K, Strigl S, Conde S, Schmitz H (1998) Detection of Lassa virus antinucleoprotein immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibodies by a simple recombinant immunoblot assay for field use. J Clin Microbiol 36:3143–3148
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer Science+Business Media LLC
About this protocol
Cite this protocol
Salvato, M.S., Lukashevich, I.S., Medina-Moreno, S., Zapata, J.C. (2018). Diagnostics for Lassa Fever: Detecting Host Antibody Responses. In: Salvato, M. (eds) Hemorrhagic Fever Viruses. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1604. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6981-4_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6981-4_5
Published:
Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-6980-7
Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-6981-4
eBook Packages: Springer Protocols