How to know if a person has Ebola

The Ebola is a acute viral infectious disease, which is especially characterized by its high lethality (which can reach up to 90%), for not having a preventive vaccine to help in preventing infection, and for not having a cure. That is, the medical treatments that exist so far are palliative, and seek to maintain the patient's life until their immune system is able to fight for itself against the virus and create enough antibodies for it.

Although each year new cases are presented in Africa, it was in December of last year 2013 when a new outbreak began to register, which so far has caused the death of 3,879 people, according to the latest data made public by the World Health Organization. . In the case of the current outbreak, experts estimate that those affected have a 50% risk of dying.

The way of know if a person has Ebola is from Ebola diagnosis, which it is obtained by means of laboratory tests that offer the possibility of detecting the presence of the virus in the blood or in the serum, especially during the acute phase.

In this sense, the most commonly used technique is the Detection of IgM and IgG Antibodies by the sandwich or capture ELISA method. It is an immunological test based on the capture of the antibodies that are present in the person's serum when they react with a virus protein, fixed to a well of a rectangular polystyrene plate.

There are also other laboratory tests, but they only provide information about the infection and the patient's situation at that time, but they do not confirm the existence of the disease. One of them is the hemogram, in which you can find information such as:

  • Leukopenia: white blood cells that are diminished.
  • Elevation of the hematocrit number.
  • Thrombocytopenia: decreased platelets.

Image | Iqbal Osman This article is published for informational purposes only. It can not and should not replace the consultation with a Physician. We advise you to consult your Trusted Doctor. ThemesInfections

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