Conference Abstract | Volume 8, Abstract ELIC2025384 (Oral 80) | Published: 19 Aug 2025
Ayodeji Oluwaseun Faremi1,2,&, Ridhwan Opeyemi Abdulghaniy1, Stephen Feranmi Adeyemo2,3, Elijah Kehinde Fawole2, Ayoade Babatunde Olarenwaju4, Akinwale Faniyi5
1Public Health Laboratory, State Hospital, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria, 2Department of Biological Sciences, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria, 3Division of Vaccine and Pharmacotherapies Design and Development, Helix Biogen Institute, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria, 4Department of Biology and Environmental Science, University of New Haven, West Haven, Connecticut, United States, 5Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria
&Corresponding author: Ayodeji Oluwaseun Faremi, Public Health Laboratory, State Hospital, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria, E-mails: faremi17793@run.edu.ng
Received: 31 May 2025, Accepted: 09 Jul 2025, Published: 19 Aug 2025
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: Lassa virus, comparative genomics, viral evolution, phylogenetics, lineage diversity, genomic surveillance
©Ayodeji Oluwaseun Faremi et al. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Ayodeji Oluwaseun Faremi et al., Comparative genomics of Lassa virus strains in West Africa: Insights into viral evolution. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2025;8(ConfProc5):00080. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO5-00080
Lassa fever, caused by the Lassa virus (LASV), is a viral hemorrhagic fever, and a zoonotic arenavirus endemic in West Africa, with significant public health implications due to its high mortality and frequent outbreaks. While previous studies have characterized LASV lineages, understanding the genetic variability of LASV strains circulating in different ecological settings is crucial to elucidate mechanisms of viral evolution and transmission dynamics. In this study, we performed a comparative genomic analysis of LASV strains from human and rodent hosts collected across multiple West African countries to investigate evolutionary patterns, regional clustering, and signatures of functional divergence.
Whole-genome sequences (160 complete genomes) of both human and rodent were retrieved considering the NCBI Virus database and the BV-BRC database. They were subjected to high-resolution alignment and variant calling. Phylogenetic analysis and population structure were inferred using MEGA X and IQ-tree tools. Pangenomic mapping and variant annotation were also done to identify lineage-specific insertions.
Phylogenetic analysis delineated strains into well-supported lineage clusters, with distinct genetic signatures corresponding to geographic regions such as Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. Notably, strains from Nigeria showed greater intra-lineage diversity, whereas isolates from Sierra Leone exhibited a more conserved genomic profile. Comparative analysis of coding regions revealed mutations predominantly localized in the glycoprotein complex (GPC) and nucleoprotein (NP), with evidence of positive selection in domains associated with host cell entry and innate immune antagonism. Variation in the zinc-binding domain of the NP and fusion loop of GPC may contribute to differences in pathogenicity and immune evasion strategies.
These findings emphasize the genomic plasticity of LASV and its capacity for regional adaptation. The observed heterogeneity may influence the efficacy of diagnostic tools and universal vaccine candidates. Continuous genomic surveillance and comparative analysis are essential to inform regional preparedness strategies of effective medical countermeasures.
Menu