Date: 3 Jan 2001 15:30:35 -0500
From: Daniel Bausch <dsb8@cdc.gov>
Response to Questions about Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever Therapy
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[The questions were posed by a Kenyan physician in the ProMED-mail posting
"Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Uganda 20010102.0011." - Mod.CP]
In Gulu, neither tetracycline nor Novalgin was used (for those, like me,
who had to look this one up, Novalgin is an NSAID [non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drug], generic name "Dipyrone," (not marketed in the U.S.).
Treatment was purely supportive. I can't say for Masindi or Mbarara.
Regarding screening, there is no reliable diagnostic tool to detect cases
during the incubation period, although it should be noted that extensive
testing of asymptomatic individuals was not done. In individuals followed
right from the onset of symptoms, PCR was often positive a day or 2 before
ELISA antigen. Presumably, it might then be positive even a few days before
symptom onset, but probably not many. This would only be useful in
individuals for whom you had a strong suspicion of infection - not a
practical broad screening tool.
ELISA IgM and IgG come up later and would never be seen during the
incubation phase. It should be said, however, that this was the first time
that Ebola laboratory diagnostics were set up in the field, so there may be
still some refining to do that might increase sensitivity.
--
Daniel Bausch, MD, MPH
Special Pathogens Branch
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd.
Atlanta GA 30333
Tel: (404) 639-1146
Fax: (404) 639-1118
<dsb8@cdc.gov>
[Dr. Bausch has provided specific information requested in the first post
in this thread for the year 2001. This rapid and informed response will be
greatly appreciated by medical personnel in the region. - Mod.CP]
.
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail, a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org