Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
Emerging Diseases, Lassa Fever and Global Public Health
Speaker
Brady Page, M.D., M.P.H.
Coordinator
Jeff Sakihara
Lassa fever is a devastating viral infection responsible
for thousands of deaths across west Africa. Often
categorized as a viral hemorrhagic fever, mortality
during outbreaks can be over 60 percent. The
geographic restriction of the disease to developing
countries with poor infrastructure, minimal resources
for research and unstable political climates has
hamstrung efforts to uncover many of the secrets
of this deadly infection. This is the story of our
experience confronting Lassa in its own den—from
the bush of Sierra Leone to the cities of Nigeria—in
order to gain an upper hand in a decades-long battle
against an ephemeral pathogen.
for thousands of deaths across west Africa. Often
categorized as a viral hemorrhagic fever, mortality
during outbreaks can be over 60 percent. The
geographic restriction of the disease to developing
countries with poor infrastructure, minimal resources
for research and unstable political climates has
hamstrung efforts to uncover many of the secrets
of this deadly infection. This is the story of our
experience confronting Lassa in its own den—from
the bush of Sierra Leone to the cities of Nigeria—in
order to gain an upper hand in a decades-long battle
against an ephemeral pathogen.
Speaker Bio
Presenter: Dr. Brady Page is an Infectious
Diseases and Critical Care physician at UC San
Diego and a research fellow at the Scripps
Research Institute. His work focuses on improving
the delivery of supportive clinical care for
fulminant viral illness in resource-limited settings.
He is currently leading several projects across
west Africa investigating certain clinical aspects
of Lassa fever.
Diseases and Critical Care physician at UC San
Diego and a research fellow at the Scripps
Research Institute. His work focuses on improving
the delivery of supportive clinical care for
fulminant viral illness in resource-limited settings.
He is currently leading several projects across
west Africa investigating certain clinical aspects
of Lassa fever.
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