American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Volume 77, Issue 1, 2007, Pages 169-175

Poor housing quality increases risk of rodent infestation and lassa fever in refugee camps of sierra leone (Article)

Bonner P.C. , Schmidt W.-P. , Belmain S.R. , Oshin B. , Baglole D. , Borchert M.*
  • a Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
  • b Disease Control and Vector Biology Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
  • c Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, United Kingdom
  • d Merlin, Freetown, Sierra Leone, Merlin, London, United Kingdom
  • e Merlin, Freetown, Sierra Leone, Merlin, London, United Kingdom
  • f London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom, Infectious Disease Epidemiology Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom

Abstract

Lassa fever, a viral hemorrhagic fever endemic in parts of West Africa, is a severe febrile illness transmitted to humans by the rodent Mastomys natalensis. To determine risk of Lassa fever in households in Sierra Leonean refugee camps, we analyzed the spatial relationships between households with a Lassa case and focal locations of potential rodent habitats. Quality and hygiene factors of households were assessed to determine possible risk factors for household rodent infestation and occurrence of Lassa fever. The odds to have a rat burrow were higher in case houses than in control houses (OR 24, 95% CI 6.0-93). Case houses scored significantly worse in the quality of housing and external hygiene. These findings suggest that risk of Lassa fever in refugee camps depends on individual housing quality and the hygiene of the immediate surrounding environment. Copyright © 2007 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

household refugee environmental sanitation infestation human risk assessment Refugees controlled study housing disease carrier Animals Sierra Leone Seasons animal season Humans Medical Records Adolescent Infant, Newborn male preschool child female Infant risk factor Risk Factors Child, Preschool medical record newborn Rodentia Lassa Fever Mastomys natalensis sensitivity and specificity Rattus Article disease transmission Retrospective Studies rodent habitat major clinical study adult Disease Reservoirs infection risk United Kingdom retrospective study Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-34548769225&partnerID=40&md5=2e7075ccba8ea94baf2d46d5e0514f64
ISSN: 00029637
Cited by: 39
Original Language: English