Not surprising, given that the various viral vectors are not wildly different (and, many people in West Africa may have experienced several childhood diseases — that already weakened their hearing, like strep). It makes intuitive sense that the viral after-effects can be systemic, and long tail.
Here’s that story, from CIDRAP, and the University of Minnesota:
…Survivors of Lassa fever may experience a range of post-infection complications, including hearing loss, according to a meta-analysis published in the Journal of Infection.
For the analysis, researchers at Imperial College London analyzed data from six studies on post-acute sequelae (lingering health effects in the weeks and months after initial infection) among 559 people who had recovered from Lassa fever, a viral hemorrhagic illness endemic to parts of West Africa.
They found that Lassa fever survivors reported an array of post-infection complications, including musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, ocular, and psychiatric symptoms. The most common post-infection complaint was hearing loss, with a pooled prevalence of 18%….
In 42 survivors across four of the studies, the severity of hearing loss varied widely, with most experiencing mild to moderate hearing loss and a minority experiencing complete deafness….
Onward, into a chilly Saturday. Smile — Google Meet-up — with the travel arranger, for the month of September in France, in a few.
नमस्ते
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