TY - JOUR AU - Grahn, Anna AU - BrĂ¥ve, Andreas AU - Tolfvenstam, Thomas AU - Studahl, Marie T1 - Absence of Nosocomial Transmission of Imported Lassa Fever during Use of Standard Barrier Nursing Methods T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2018 VL - 24 IS - 6 SP - 972 SN - 1080-6059 AB - Nosocomial transmission of Lassa virus (LASV) is reported to be low when care for the index patient includes proper barrier nursing methods. We investigated whether asymptomatic LASV infection occurred in healthcare workers who used standard barrier nursing methods during the first 15 days of caring for a patient with Lassa fever in Sweden. Of 76 persons who were defined as having been potentially exposed to LASV, 53 provided blood samples for detection of LASV IgG. These persons also responded to a detailed questionnaire to evaluate exposure to different body fluids from the index patient. LASV-specific IgG was not detected in any of the 53 persons. Five of 53 persons had not been using proper barrier nursing methods. Our results strengthen the argument for a low risk of secondary transmission of LASV in humans when standard barrier nursing methods are used and the patient has only mild symptoms. KW - nosocomial transmission KW - Lassa fever KW - hemorrhagic fevers KW - Lassa fever virus KW - viruses KW - standard barrier nursing methods KW - contacts KW - disease transmission KW - infectious diseases KW - zoonoses KW - Sweden KW - imported Lassa fever KW - Lassa virus KW - LASV DO - 10.3201/eid2406.172097 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/24/6/17-2097_article ER - End of Reference