title: Effective post-exposure treatment of Ebola infection.
abstract: Ebola viruses are highly lethal human pathogens that have received considerable attention in recent years due to an increasing re-emergence in Central Africa and a potential for use as a biological weapon. There is no vaccine or treatment licensed for human use. In the past, however, important advances have been made in developing preventive vaccines that are protective in animal models. In this regard, we showed that a single injection of a live-attenuated recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus vector expressing the Ebola virus glycoprotein completely protected rodents and nonhuman primates from lethal Ebola challenge. In contrast, progress in developing therapeutic interventions against Ebola virus infections has been much slower and there is clearly an urgent need to develop effective post-exposure strategies to respond to future outbreaks and acts of bioterrorism, as well as to treat laboratory exposures. Here we tested the efficacy of the vesicular stomatitis virus-based Ebola vaccine vector in post-exposure treatment in three relevant animal models. In the guinea pig and mouse models it was possible to protect 50% and 100% of the animals, respectively, following treatment as late as 24 h after lethal challenge. More important, four out of eight rhesus macaques were protected if treated 20 to 30 min following an otherwise uniformly lethal infection. Currently, this approach provides the most effective post-exposure treatment strategy for Ebola infections and is particularly suited for use in accidentally exposed individuals and in the control of secondary transmission during naturally occurring outbreaks or deliberate release.
authors.affiliation: Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Heinz_Feldmann@phac-aspc.gc.ca
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Feldmann
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Kathleen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Daddario-DiCaprio
authors.forename: Joan B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Geisbert
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ströher
authors.forename: Allen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grolla
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bray
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Fritz
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fernando
authors.forename: Friederike
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Feldmann
authors.forename: Lisa E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Hensley
authors.forename: Thomas W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Geisbert
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D046129:Ebola Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D029043:Ebolavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D046129:Ebola Vaccines