When outbreaks suddenly surge virologists are quick to speculate that the microbe mutated, worsening. Last year Nigeria saw a 10-X^ in #LassaFever -- study shows the virus was unchanged. So what was it? Sudden surge in rat population.http://science.sciencemag.org/content/363/6422/74/tab-pdf …
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Likely enhanced public health awareness and possibly social acceptance. Improved diagnostic approaches no doubt contributed as well.
Agreed. The "Sudden surge in rat population" is unjustified - might be true, but there's no data to support that claim. Also, small thing, but mastomys are more closely related to mice than rats...
