Detection of Lassa Virus, Mali

Abstract

To determine whether Lassa virus was circulating in southern Mali, we tested samples from small mammals from 3 villages, including Soromba, where in 2009 a British citizen probably contracted a lethal Lassa virus infection. We report the isolation and genetic characterization of Lassa virus from an area previously unknown for Lassa fever.

Keywords

• Viruses
• arenavirus
• Lassa fever
• Lassa virus
• rodent-borne infections
• Mastomys natalensis