Webb P A, McCormick J B, King I J, Bosman I, Johnson K M, Elliott L H, Kono G K, O'Sullivan R
Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 1986;80(4):577-82. doi: 10.1016/0035-9203(86)90147-1.
A systematic study of Lassa fever in febrile children was undertaken over a four-year period, from August 1977 to August 1981, in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone, West Africa. 479 patients were studied; of these, 245 had adequate specimens to confirm or exclude the laboratory diagnosis of Lassa fever. 51 cases of Lassa fever were identified (21% of patients from whom diagnosis was possible). Virus was isolated from 23 patients. All children had fever; cough and vomiting were present in over 60% of cases studied. The five to nine-year age group had the highest prevalence rate (41% of cases). Seasonal clustering occurred in April, May, and August. A significantly higher proportion of females than males had Lassa fever, a finding which remains to be explained. It is concluded that Lassa fever is a disease of significant concern in the paediatric age group.
1977年8月至1981年8月的四年间，在西非塞拉利昂东部省份对发热儿童的拉沙热进行了系统研究。共研究了479例患者；其中，245例有足够的标本用于确认或排除拉沙热的实验室诊断。确诊51例拉沙热（占可能确诊患者的21%）。从23例患者中分离出病毒。所有儿童均有发热；超过60%的研究病例出现咳嗽和呕吐。5至9岁年龄组患病率最高（占病例的41%）。季节性聚集出现在4月、5月和8月。患拉沙热的女性比例明显高于男性，这一发现尚待解释。结论是，拉沙热是儿科年龄组中一个值得严重关注的疾病。
