IGHID 12604 - Just the tip of the iceberg: LaCrosse virus in western NC

The objective of this pilot study is to demonstrate the feasibility and acceptability of collecting a large volume of clinical samples from febrile children in a LACV endemic area. We hypothesize that because most LACV infections result in mild disease, screening children with typical symptoms (e.g., fever, headache) presenting to outpatient settings during peak months (i.e., June - October) will identify many more infections - and yield critical samples containing virus - than approaches focused on severe disease. To accomplish this goal, we will leverage a "light touch" protocol hat is integrated into routine clinic flows, including streamlined consent processes and non-invasive (i.e., finger prick) phlebotomy.