Lassa Fever Awareness and Sero-positivity among Healthcare Workers in Public Facilities in an Endemic, Sub-Urban Local Government Area of Edo State, South-South, Nigeria

Abstract

: Background: Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic disease, endemic in West Africa, and with great potential for nosocomial spread. Objectives: The study set out to assess the knowledge and serostatus of Lassa fever among health workers in an Esan West LGA of Edo State, South-South Nigeria. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 150 consenting Primary health care and secondary health workers using pre-tested structured interviewer-administered questionnaires and phlebotomy for data collection. ELISA was used to assess for Lassa virus-specific IgM and IgG antibodies. Results: One hundred and forty-two (94.7%) respondents were aware of Lassa fever, with 50 (33.3%) of the respondents having poor knowledge, 44 (29.3%) fair knowledge, and 56 (37.3%) good knowledge. Knowledge was significantly associated with respondents’ designation (p < 0.001), sex (p = 0.02), and age (p = 0.01). The prevalence of IgG was found to be 50.7%, with no IgM detected. IgG seropositivity had no significant association with demographic variables. Conclusion: Sensitization campaigns among health workers in government establishments are needed to bridge the gap in knowledge.