title: Molecular diagnostics of viral hemorrhagic fevers.
abstract: This review addresses the diagnostics of viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs). In the first part, an overview is given on classical methods of VHF diagnostics as well as novel molecular diagnostic tools. Currently available polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for diagnosis of VHF are summarized and discussed. In the second part, VHF diagnostics are described in particular for Lassa fever, yellow fever, and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, based on cases that were imported into or occurred within Europe. The third part is focussed on important differential diagnoses of VHF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute of Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht Strasse 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Drosten
authors.forename: Beate M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Kümmerer
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schmitz
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Günther
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D003225:Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Crimean-Congo / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006482:Hemorrhagic Fevers, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007836:Lassa virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D014195:Travel; D015005:Yellow fever virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*