No. 31 (2026): Risks and built environment: From knowledge to project
Research and Experimentation

Lassa fever: A review of three treatment centres in Nigeria

PDF
  • Francesca De Filippi,
  • Francesca Pagano,
  • Michele Di Marco,
  • Luca Fontana,
  • Anna Silenzi
Francesca De Filippi
Dipartimento di Architettura e Design, Politecnico di Torino, Italia
Bio
Francesca Pagano
Dipartimento di Architettura e Design, Politecnico di Torino, Italia
Michele Di Marco
Dipartimento di Architettura e Design, Politecnico di Torino, Italia; Organizzazione Mondiale della Sanità, Operations Support and Logistic, Ginevra, Svizzera
Luca Fontana
Organizzazione Mondiale della Sanità, Operations Support and Logistic, Ginevra, Svizzera
Anna Silenzi
Organizzazione Mondiale della Sanità, Operations Support and Logistic, Ginevra, Svizzera
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/techne-18620

Published 2026-07-29

Keywords

  • Lassa fever,
  • Treatment centre,
  • Design,
  • Maternal and neonatal health,
  • Reverse engineering

How to Cite

De Filippi, F., Pagano, F., Di Marco, M., Fontana, L., & Silenzi, A. (2026). Lassa fever: A review of three treatment centres in Nigeria. TECHNE - Journal of Technology for Architecture and Environment, (31), 279–292. https://doi.org/10.36253/techne-18620

Copyright (c) 2026 Francesca De Filippi, Francesca Pagano, Michele Di Marco, Luca Fontana, Anna Silenzi

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

Abstract

During Lassa fever outbreaks, Treatment Centres (TCs) are critical for patient care and transmission control, yet their design remains underexplored. The study analyses three TC in Nigeria, using a reverse-engineering approach. Findings reveal major differences in capacity, zoning, and service integration, with implications for infection control, staff safety, and inclusivity. Recurring layout trends and critical gaps are identified. A set of spatial indicators is proposed and cross-case results are translated into design principles for LF centres. The work offers a framework for developing design standards to strengthen outbreak management, and highlights the need for adaptable facilities and future research to define indicators linking design with health outcomes and patient experience.

PDF

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

  1. Akpede, G. O., Asogun, D. A., Okogbenin, S. A., & Okokhere, P. O. (2018), “Lassa fever outbreaks in Nigeria”, Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy, Vol. 16, n. 9. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/14787210.2018.1512856 (Accessed on 27/08/2025)
  2. Alli, A., Ortiz, J. F., Fabara, S. P., Patel, A., & Halan, T. (2021), “Management of Lassa Fever: A Current Update” Cureus, Vol. 13, n. 5. Available at: https://doi.org/10.7759/CUREUS.14797 (Accessed on 27/08/2025)
  3. Balogun, O. O., Akande, O. W., & Hamer, D. H. (2020), “Lassa Fever: An Evolving Emergency in West Africa”, The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Vol. 104, n. 2, pp. 466. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4269/AJTMH.20-0487 (Accessed on 05/11/2025)
  4. CDC. (2014). Safe Handling of Human Remains of VHF Patients in U.S. Hospitals and Mortuaries. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/viral-hemorrhagic-fevers/hcp/ (Accessed on 05/11/2025)
  5. Chaudhary, M., Cutland, C. L., Bonet, M., Gentile, A., Jones, C. E., Marshall, H. S., Stergachis, A., Voss, G., Darko, D. M., Sevene, E., Hyde, T., Fairlie, L., Kampmann, B., Everett, D., & Munoz, F. M. (2025), “Burden of Lassa fever disease in pregnant women and children and options for prevention”, Vaccine, Vol. 43 (pt 1). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.126479 (Accessed on 05/11/2025)
  6. Doohan, P., Jorgensen, D., Naidoo, T. M., McCain, K., Hicks, J. T., McCabe, R., Bhatia, S., Charniga, K., Cuomo-Dannenburg, G., Hamlet, A., Nash, R. K., Nikitin, D., Rawson, T., Sheppard, R. J., Unwin, H. J. T., van Elsland, S., Cori, A., Morgenstern, C., Imai-Eaton, N., … Cucunuba Perez, Z. (2024), “Lassa fever outbreaks, mathematical models, and disease parameters: a systematic review and meta-analysis” The Lancet Global Health, Vol. 12, n. 12, pp. e1962-e1972. Available at: https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(24)00379-6 (Accessed on 27/08/2025)
  7. Finnegan, L., Sheffield, J., Sanghvi, H., & Anker, M. (2004), “Infectious Diseases and Maternal Morbidity and Mortality”, Emerging Infectious Disease Journal, Vol. 10, n. 11. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1011.040624_05 (Accessed on 04/09/2025)
  8. Fisher-Hoch, S. P. (2005), “Lessons from nosocomial viral haemorrhagic fever outbreaks”, British Medical Bulletin, Vol. 73-74, pp. 123-137. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/BMB/LDH054 (Accessed on 05/11/2025)
  9. Fontana, L., Pagano, F., De Filippi, F., Silenzi, A., Ait-Ikhlef, K., & Di Marco, M. (2024), “Evolution of Ebola and Marburg Treatment Centers Design, a Review of the Last Ten Years of Outbreaks in Africa”, Architecture, Vol. 4, n. 4, pp. 930-947. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/architecture4040049 (Accessed on 20/11/2025)
  10. Goeijenbier, M., Wagenaar, J., Goris, M., Martina, B., Henttonen, H., Vaheri, A., Reusken, C., Hartskeerl, R., Osterhaus, A., & Van Gorp, E. (2013), “Rodent-borne hemorrhagic fevers: under-recognized, widely spread and preventable – epidemiology, diagnostics and treatment”, Critical Reviews in Microbiology, Vol. 39, n. 1, pp. 26-42. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3109/1040841X.2012.686481 (Accessed on 20/11/2025)
  11. Kernéis, S., Koivogui, L., Magassouba, N., Koulemou, K., Lewis, R., Aplogan, A., Grais, R. F., Guerin, P. J., & Fichet-Calvet, E. (2009), “Prevalence and risk factors of lassa seropositivity in inhabitants of the Forest Region of Guinea: A cross-sectional study”, PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Vol. 3, n. 11. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0000548 (Accessed on 05/11/2025)
  12. Médecins Sans Frontières. (2015), Ebola Treatment Centres: design and construction PART I-PART II. Available at: https://evaluation.msf.org/sites/default/files/attachments/seu_ebola_report_etc_design_and_construction_part_i_final_0.pdf ; https://evaluation.msf.org/sites/default/files/attachments/seu_ebola_report_etc_design_and_construction_part_ii_final.pdf (Accessed on 05/11/2025)
  13. Naeem, A., Zahid, S., Hafeez, M. H., Bibi, A., Tabassum, S., & Akilimali, A. (2023), “Re-emergence of Lassa fever in Nigeria: A new challenge for public health authorities”, Health Science Reports, Vol. 6, n. 10. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.1628 (Accessed on 05/11/2025)
  14. NCDC. (2020), National Guidelines on Infection Prevention and Control for Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHF). Available at: https://ncdc.gov.ng/themes/common/docs/protocols/111_1579986179.pdf (Accessed on 27/08/2025)
  15. NCDC. (2022), Update of Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria. In Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://ncdc.gov.ng/diseases/sitreps/?cat=5&name=An%20update%20of%20Lassa%20fever%20outbreak%20in%20Nigeria (Accessed on 05/11/2025)
  16. Price, M. E., Fisher-Hoch, S. P., Craven, R. B., & McCormick, J. B. (1988), “A prospective study of maternal and fetal outcome in acute Lassa fever infection during pregnancy”, British Medical Journal, Vol. 297, pp. 584-587. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1136/BMJ.297.6648.584 (Accessed on 05/11/2025)
  17. Redding, D. W., Gibb, R., Dan-Nwafor, C. C., Ilori, E. A., Yashe, R. U., Oladele, S. H., Amedu, M. O., Iniobong, A., Attfield, L. A., Donnelly, C. A., Abubakar, I., Jones, K. E., & Ihekweazu, C. (2021), “Geographical drivers and climate-linked dynamics of Lassa fever in Nigeria”, Nature Communications, Vol. 12, n. 1. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-25910-y (Accessed on 04/09/2025)
  18. Shehu, N. Y., Gomerep, S. S., Isa, S. E., Iraoyah, K. O., Mafuka, J., Bitrus, N., Dachom, M. C., Ogwuche, J. E., Onukak, A. E., Onyedibe, K. I., Ogbaini-Emovon, E., Egah, D. Z., Mateer, E. J., & Paessler, S. (2018), “Lassa Fever 2016 Outbreak in Plateau State, Nigeria–The Changing Epidemiology and Clinical Presentation”, Frontiers in Public Health, Vol. 6. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/FPUBH.2018.00232 (Accessed on 05/11/2025)
  19. World Health Organization. (2014), Hospital Preparedness for Epidemics, Emergency Preparedness (WPE), Geneva. Available at: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/hospital-preparedness-for-epidemics (Accessed on 04/09/2025)