Laboratory diagnosis of Ebola hemorrhagic fever during an outbreak in Yambio, Sudan, 2004.
Between the months of April and June 2004, an Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) outbreak was reported in Yambio county, southern Sudan. Blood samples were collected from a total of 36 patients with suspected EHF and were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for immunoglobulin G and M antibodies, antigen ELISA, and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of a segment of the Ebolavirus (EBOV) polymerase gene. A total of 13 patients were confirmed to be infected with EBOV. In addition, 4 fatal cases were classified as probable cases, because no samples were collected. Another 12 patients were confirmed to have acute measles infection during the same period that EBOV was circulating. Genetic analysis of PCR-positive samples indicated that the virus was similar to but distinct from Sudan EBOV Maleo 1979. In response, case management, social mobilization, and follow-up of contacts were set up as means of surveillance. The outbreak was declared to be over on 7 August 2004.
Onyango
Clayton O
CO
World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Arbovirus and Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Nairobi, Kenya. conyango@mrc.gm
Opoka
Martin L
ML
Ksiazek
Thomas G
TG
Formenty
Pierre
P
Ahmed
Abdullahi
A
Tukei
Peter M
PM
Sang
Rosemary C
RC
Ofula
Victor O
VO
Konongoi
Samson L
SL
Coldren
Rodney L
RL
Grein
Thomas
T
Legros
Dominique
D
Bell
Mike
M
De Cock
Kevin M
KM
Bellini
William J
WJ
Towner
Jonathan S
JS
Nichol
Stuart T
ST
Rollin
Pierre E
PE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D002648:Child; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D029043:Ebolavirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005374:Filtration; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013397:Sudan / Q000453:epidemiology
D000956:Antigens, Viral