BNITM study on Lassa fever outbreak in Guinea selected as Editor’s Choice

A recent publication by researchers from the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM) and international partners has been selected as an Editor’s Choice by the Journal of Infectious Diseases. The publication describes the first documented nosocomial Lassa fever outbreak in 2022 in a region of Guinea where the virus had not previously been considered endemic. Nosocomial means that the infection was acquired within a healthcare setting. The recently published study highlights the importance of preparedness, diagnostics and long-term capacity building for the rapid detection and containment of the outbreak.

Die Abbildung zeigt einen Teil Guineas als Lankarte mit einem eingezeichneten Weg der ersten mit dem Lassafieber infizierten Person. Darunter sind die zeitlichen Ereignisse verzeichnet.

©Annibaldis G. et al. 2026, published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Researchers from the BNITM Department of Virology, in particular the Outbreak Preparedness and Response laboratory group, contributed to the study together with partners from institutions in Guinea, including the Centre de Recherche en Virologie (CRV) in Conakry. The researchers showed that the virus was most likely introduced to Conakry by an infected person traveling from another region and subsequently spread within a clinic. In total, they confirmed six Lassa fever cases, mainly among health care workers of the affected healthcare facility. Using rapid laboratory diagnostics and genomic analyses, the team was able to trace transmission pathways and respond quickly to contain the outbreak.

“The study provides important new insights into Lassa fever in Guinea, including the first documented nosocomial outbreak in the country,” says first author Dr. Giuditta Annibaldis. “These findings were made possible by laboratory and genomic sequencing capacity developed through long-term collaborative projects, which enabled rapid detection and containment of the outbreak.”

Dr Giuditta Annibaldi: a smiling researcher with dark curls, standing in front of a light brown building façade. She is wearing a burgundy shirt and has her arms crossed over her chest.

Dr Giuditta Annibaldi @BNITM

The journal awards the Editor's Choice distinction to publications that the editors select as being of particular academic relevance, topicality or significance to the field.