Emerging trends in Lassa fever: redefining the role of immunoglobulin M and inflammation in diagnosing acute infection

Table 1 Odds of fatal outcome by LASV-specific NP Ag- and Ab-capture ELISA

Test Result	N (% fatal)	Comparison Group	Adjusted OR (95% CI)^a	p
Ag+IgM+	35 (54)	Ag-IgM+	4.33* (2.01, 9.30)	< 0.01
Ag+IgM-	96 (56)	Ag-IgM-	5.36* (3.19, 9.00)	< 0.01
		Ag+IgM+	1.09 (0.50, 2.40)	0.83
Ag-IgM+	171 (22)	Ag-IgM-	1.13 (0.70, 1.83)	0.61
Ag-IgM-	244 (20)	-	-	-

^a Odds of fatal outcome relative to the comparison group; all Ors are adjusted for gender.
* Statistically significant at the 5% significance level.
Individuals who presented to the KGH LFW were tested for LF by Ag- and Ab-capture ELISA. We subsequently categorized individuals based on LASV Ag and Ab status. Fatality comparisons of Ag+IgM+, Ag+IgM-, Ag-IgM+, and Ag-IgM- individuals revealed that there was no significant difference between Ag-status groups irrespective of IgM status. Conversely, Ag+ patients were about 5 times more likely to succumb than Ag- patients irrespective of IgM status (p < 0.01).

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