Detection of Ebola virus in oral fluid specimens during outbreaks of Ebola virus hemorrhagic fever in the Republic of Congo.

Background: Patients who have refused to provide blood samples has meant that there have been significant delays in confirming outbreaks of Ebola virus hemorrhagic fever (EVHF). During the 2 EVHF outbreaks in the Republic of Congo in 2003, we assessed the use of oral fluid specimens versus serum samples for laboratory confirmation of cases of EVHF.

Methods: Serum and oral fluid specimens were obtained from 24 patients with suspected Ebola and 10 healthy control subjects.

[Multiple Ebola virus haemorrhagic fever outbreaks in Gabon, from October 2001 to April 2002].

Outbreaks of Ebola virus haemorrhagic fever have been reported from 1994 to 1996 in the province of Ogooué Ivindo, a forest zone situated in the Northeast of Gabon. Each time, the great primates had been identified as the initial source of human infection. End of November 2001 a new alert came from this province, rapidly confirmed as a EVHV outbreak.

[Clinical management of patients and deceased during the Ebola outbreak from October to December 2003 in Republic of Congo].

Outbreaks of Ebola virus hemorrhagic fever (EVHF) have been reported since 2001 in the Cuvette Ouest department, a forested area located in the Western North of Congo. At the end of October 2003 a new alarm came from this department which was quickly confirmed as being an epidemic of EVHF. The outbreak response was organized by the ministry of health with the assistance of an international team under the aegis of WHO.

[Outbreak of Ebola hemorrhagic fever in the Republic of the Congo, 2003: a new strategy?].

This article describes the last Ebola haemorrhagic fever (EHF) outbreak that occurred in the Cuvette Ouest Region of the Republic of Congo from January to April 2003. Epidemiological study demonstrated that the first patient, in whom diagnosis was made retrospectively, became ill on December 25, 2002. Subsequently until May 7, 2003, a total of 143 cases were recorded in the Mbomo and Kéllé health districts including 129 fatalities.