The Use of Ebola Convalescent Plasma to Treat Ebola Virus Disease in Resource-Constrained Settings: A Perspective From the Field.
The clinical evaluation of convalescent plasma (CP) for the treatment of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in the current outbreak, predominantly affecting Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, was prioritized by the World Health Organization in September 2014. In each of these countries, nonrandomized comparative clinical trials were initiated. The Ebola-Tx trial in Conakry, Guinea, enrolled 102 patients by 7 July 2015; no severe adverse reactions were noted. The Ebola-CP trial in Sierra Leone and the EVD001 trial in Liberia have included few patients. Although no efficacy data are available yet, current field experience supports the safety, acceptability, and feasibility of CP as EVD treatment. Longer-term follow-up as well as data from nontrial settings and evidence on the scalability of the intervention are required. CP sourced from within the outbreak is the most readily available source of anti-EVD antibodies. Until the advent of effective antivirals or monoclonal antibodies, CP merits further evaluation.
Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
Johan
J
van Griensven
Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
Anja
A
De Weiggheleire
Centre National de Formation et Recherche en Santé Rurale de Maferinyah, Forecariah, Guinea.
Alexandre
A
Delamou
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom.
Peter G
PG
Smith
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom.
Tansy
T
Edwards
Belgian Red Cross, Flanders.
Philippe
P
Vandekerckhove
Médecins Sans Frontières, Conakry, Guinea.
Elhadj Ibrahima
EI
Bah
Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium University of Antwerp, Belgium.
Robert
R
Colebunders
Etablissement Français du Sang.
Isola
I
Herve
Etablissement Français du Sang.
Catherine
C
Lazaygues
National Blood Transfusion Center, Conakry, Guinea.
Nyankoye
N
Haba
Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
Lutgarde
L
Lynen
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D029043:Ebolavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D016701:Guinea; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D008253:Macaca mulatta
D000914:Antibodies, Viral
Ebola; Guinea; clinical trial; convalescent plasma; therapy