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Lujo virus
Etiology:
- agent of arenavirus associated viral hemorrhagic fever
Epidemiology:
- fatal nosocomial outbreak in Johannesburg (2009)
- only reported from a patient from Zambia & subsequent nosocomial outbreak in South Africa
Clinical manifestations:
- morbilliform rash of the face & trunk
- face & neck swelling
- pharyngitis
- diarrhea
- hemorrhage not a prominent feature
- in fatal cases (4/5 patients), a transient improvement was followed by:
- rapid deterioration with respiratory failure
- neurological signs
- cardiogenic shock
- death 10-13 days after onset [2]
- clinical syndrome remarkably similar to Lassa fever [4]
Laboratory:
- complete blood count
- leukopenia at onset, rising later
- thrombocytopenia
- liver function tests
- elevated serum transaminases [2]
Complications:
- infected pregnant women may suffer miscarriage [2]
Management:
- airborne precautions
- specialized precautions to protect against aerosolized particles when performing high-risk procedures such as endotracheal intubation [4]
General
arenavirus
Properties
KINGDOM: virus
GENOME-TYPE: RNA
SINGLE-STRANDED
NEGATIVE-STRAND
CIRCULAR
GENOME-SIZE: 10-14 kB
ENVELOPE: PRESENT
CAPSID-SYMMETRY: HELICAL
References
- Wikipedia: Lujo virus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lujo_virus
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)
Lujo Hemorrhagic Fever (LUHF)
http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/lujo/
- Racaniello V
Lujo virus, a new hemorrhagic fever virus from Southern Africa
http://www.virology.ws/2009/05/29/lujo-virus-a-new-hemorrhagic-fever-virus-from-southern-africa/
- Sewlall NH, Richards G, Duse A et al
Clinical features and patient management of Lujo hemorrhagic
fever.
PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2014 Nov 13;8(11):e3233
PMID: 25393244