Extending the “Social”: Anthropological Contributions to the Study of Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers

In late February/early March 2016 in Benin, (foreground) Carine, a student at the district school in Tchaourou, smiles as she holds up her slate with the correct answer – ‘Lassa Fever’ – to the question posed by her teacher: “What disease is making people in our town sick these days and is being transmitted from rats to humans and from person to person?” Schoolchildren at this and other schools in the surrounding area are being taught how the disease is transmitted and how to protect themselves against it, and the importance of not discriminating against their fellow students whose parents may have gotten sick from Lassa Fever. Lassa Fever, a viral disease that can be fatal in severe cases, is transmitted through contact with rats infected with the virus and through person-to-person contact. UNICEF is scaling up its emergency response to help prevent further spread of the disease and to support people affected by the ongoing outbreak. [ORIGINAL TEXT IN FRENCH] Carine sourit car elle a trouvé la bonne réponse : « Quelle maladie fait du mal dans notre ville en ce moment et qui se transmet par le rat et aussi de l’humain à l’humain l’homme? » La ‘Fièvre Lassa’ a-t-elle écrit sur son ardoise. A l’école de quartier de Tchaourou, comme dans toutes les écoles des environs, les enseignants apprennent aux élèves les modes de transmissions et de prévention de la maladie mais également la nécessité de ne pas discriminer les camarades dont les parents auraient été malades.