Lassa fever and infection control: Knowledge, attitudes and practice in a University Teaching Hospital in Uyo, Nigeria

Abstract

Context: Lassa fever is a deadly viral hemorrhagic disease that is endemic in Nigeria with recurrent outbreaks that often affect healthcare workers. Hospital infection control can potentially limit the impact of outbreaks of this disease in healthcare settings
Objective: To determine the knowledge attitudes and practices toward Lassa fever and infection control among medical doctors and students in Uyo, Nigeria.
Methods: This was a cross sectional survey of knowledge attitude and practice among medical students, house officers and resident doctors undergoing training in the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital using a 23-point structured self-administered questionnaire.
Results: 89.5% of participants correctly identified the causative agent for Lassa fever to be a virus. 141 participants correctly identified rats as the reservoir for Lassa fever. The state chosen by most participants to have the highest prevalence of Lassa fever was Edo State (44.8%), followed by Adamawa State (20.4%). 79.7% of participants correctly identified the drug treatment of Lassa fever. Most participants agreed that there is a possibility of contracting Lassa fever in the course of their duties and that facilities in the hospital are not sufficient to protect them from contracting the infection.
Conclusion and recommendations: There is good knowledge of Lassa fever among medical trainees but with significant gaps. There is need to place more emphasis on Lassa fever and infection control in training curricula.