title: Ebola hemorrhagic fever outbreaks in Gabon, 1994-1997: epidemiologic and health control issues.
abstract: From the end of 1994 to the beginning of 1995, 49 patients with hemorrhagic symptoms were hospitalized in the Makokou General Hospital in northeastern Gabon. Yellow fever (YF) virus was first diagnosed in serum by use of polymerase chain reaction followed by blotting, and a vaccination campaign was immediately instituted. The epidemic, known as the fall 1994 epidemic, ended 6 weeks later. However, some aspects of this epidemic were atypical of YF infection, so a retrospective check for other etiologic agents was undertaken. Ebola (EBO) virus was found to be present concomitantly with YF virus in the epidemic. Two other epidemics (spring and fall 1996) occurred in the same province. GP and L genes of EBO virus isolates from all three epidemics were partially sequenced, which showed a difference of <0.1% in the base pairs. Sequencing also showed that all isolates were very similar to subtype Zaire EBO virus isolates from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
authors.affiliation: Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Gabon. ajgeorges@wanadoo.fr
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Georges
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Leroy
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Renaut
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Benissan
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Nabias
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Ngoc
authors.forename: P I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Obiang
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lepage
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Bertherat
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Bénoni
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Wickings
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Amblard
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lansoud-Soukate
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Milleliri
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baize
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Georges-Courbot
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000097:blood; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo / Q000453:epidemiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D029043:Ebolavirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015981:Epidemiologic Factors; D005681:Gabon / Q000453:epidemiology; D005814:Genes, Viral; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D015004:Yellow Fever / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology