Conference Abstract | Volume 8, Abstract ELIC2025393 (Poster 084) | Published: 06 Aug 2025
Arlette Olaby Dindé1,&, Bassirou Bonfoh1
1Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
&Corresponding author: Arlette Olaby Dindé, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Email: arlette.dinde@csrs.ci
Received: 11 Jun 2025, Accepted: 09 Jul 2025, Published: 06 Aug 2025
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: Lassa circulation, Côte d’Ivoire, knowledge gaps, risks
©Arlette Olaby Dindé 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: Arlette Olaby Dindé et al., Gaps in understanding Lassa virus circulation and zoonotic risks at the human–wildlife interface in Côte d’Ivoire. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2025;8(ConfProc5:00228. https://doi.org/10.37432/jieph-confpro5-00228
Lassa fever remains endemic in West Africa, yet Côte d’Ivoire’s position within the Lassa virus (LASV) belt is poorly documented. The country’s ecological diversity, widespread wild meat consumption, and socio-economic reliance on wildlife-based livelihoods may heighten zoonotic transmission risks. However, key knowledge gaps persist regarding LASV circulation patterns, serotype distribution, reservoir species, and associated ecological dynamics. These gaps may compromise risk assessments, early detection, and outbreak preparedness.
This study aimed to assess the extent to which LASV surveillance is integrated into wildlife research in Côte d’Ivoire, to identify critical scientific and operational gaps, and to propose avenues for addressing them. A systematic review of peer-reviewed literature published between 2012 and 2022 was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar. From 486 articles initially identified, 203 met inclusion criteria and were analyzed for study species, pathogens investigated, geographic coverage, diagnostic methods, and cross-sectoral collaboration, with a focus on LASV-related data.
Findings reveal that fewer than 5% of studies addressed rodent-borne diseases. LASV detection was reported in Mastomys natalensis in Korhogo (northern Côte d’Ivoire), with strains genetically linked to a human case. Additionally, a fatal retrospective human case in Bangolo (western Côte d’Ivoire) and a historical LASV seroprevalence of 26% among forest workers underscore long-standing human exposure. Despite these signals, no LASV-specific surveillance initiatives were documented during the review period, even as new outbreaks emerge in neighboring countries.
Only five targeted studies on LASV have been conducted in Côte d’Ivoire over the past two decades. Current knowledge remains fragmented and academic, with major gaps in surveillance coverage, reservoir monitoring, and intersectoral coordination. Addressing these gaps requires a robust One Health strategy prioritizing longitudinal rodent studies, molecular diagnostics, behavioral risk assessments, and community-based syndromic monitoring. Strengthening collaboration between wildlife, veterinary, and public health sectors is essential to close LASV knowledge gaps and enhance regional health security.
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