Research on the Zoonotic Pathogen: Lassa Virus and Lassa Fever
A Special Issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915) belonging to the section "Human Virology and Viral Diseases".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 301
Editor
2. School of Public Health, College of Medical Sciences, Njala University, Bo, Sierra Leone
Interests: lassa virus; viral haemorrhage fever; rodent ecology; zoonotic viruses; virus epidemiology; bioinformatics
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Lassa virus (LASV) is part of the Arenaviridae family. It causes a severe and fatal haemorrhagic illness in humans known as Lassa fever (LF), which is an emerging viral zoonotic disease. It is prevalent in parts of West Africa and poses a substantial public health risk. Each year, an estimated 200,000-300,000 infections occur, with 5,000-10,000 deaths. Its zoonotic transmission, which primarily involves the multimammate rodent Mastomys natalensis, presents considerable hurdles for prevention and management, particularly in resource-limited settings. The virus is among the pathogens listed in the WHO's Research and Development (R&D) Blueprint for Epidemic Threats.
Recent developments in genomes, ecological surveillance, immunology, and host–pathogen interactions have created new opportunities to study LASV evolution, transmission patterns, and human illness outcomes. Furthermore, the global health community's renewed emphasis on pandemic preparedness has spurred research into LASV diagnostics, treatments, and vaccine development. However, major gaps remain, particularly in early diagnosis, animal reservoirs, cross-border transmission, and the environmental and social factors influencing LASV propagation.
The aim of this Special Issue is to highlight high-quality scientific papers that expand our understanding of Lassa virus biology, zoonotic ecology, epidemiology, and clinical effects, as well as advances in diagnostics, treatments, vaccine development, and monitoring systems.
Studies that integrate field data, laboratory science, modelling, and public health approaches will be prioritised.
The proposed Special Issue is directly aligned with the scope of Viruses, encompassing topics such as viral pathogenesis, virus–host interactions, viral ecology, and emerging infectious diseases. By addressing both fundamental and applied aspects of LASV research, the Special Issue contributes to the journal's objective of sharing significant virology research important to global health.
Dr. Umaru Bangura
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- Lassa-virus
- zoonotic
- Mastomys natalensis
- West-Africa
- epidemiology
- genomes
- ecology
- surveillance
- emerging-infection
- transmission
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