Ebola Virus Seroprevalence in Central Africa

A large representative survey in Gabon revealed Ebola virus seropositivity in many individuals with no history of hemorrhagic fever.

Ebola virus (EBOV) and related filoviruses, endemic in central Africa, cause hemorrhagic fever in human and nonhuman primates. Case fatality rates vary among these viruses, reaching about 90% for Zaire EBOV (ZEBOV). Recently, fruit bats were identified as a natural EBOV reservoir (JW Infect Dis Dec 21 2005). However, much about EBOV epidemiology remains unclear — particularly because preliminary reports have shown high EBOV antibody prevalence rates in areas of Africa where Ebola hemorrhagic fever has never been reported.

To learn more, researchers conducted a ZEBOV seroprevalence study in Gabon. Using a sensitive and specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique, they tested blood samples from 4349 individuals from 220 randomly selec…

Reviewing Author

Thomas Glück, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsConsilium Infectiorum by InfectoPharm, Infection

Thomas Glück, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsConsilium Infectiorum by InfectoPharm, Infection