ebola Treatment

The disease caused by the virus is fatal in 20% to 90% of cas50. This large difference is due to the fact that the Ebola virus is particularly dangerous in Africa, where care is limited and difficult to provide populations. If the virus has no specific treatment, many symptomatic treatments (intensive care, hydration, transfusion ...) can prevent the death of patient51.

A live attenuated vaccine candidate gives encouraging results in the singe52. It was administered in March 2009 to a researcher working on the virus, after possible accidental contamination. The evolution has been favorable53.

Other avenues are being explored in animals: use of an inhibitory protein by a factor of coagulation54 or inhibition of viral RNA polymerase by interférents55 RNA. A serum monoclonal antibody products made ​​by tobacco plants called PGM ZMapp56 of the US firm Mapp Biopharmaceutical, is administered successfully experimentally in August 2014, two Americans infected patients. And the United States has partially lifted restrictions on another experimental treatment Tekmira Canadian society, but placing it on the market could take several months. Japanese also have an experimental treatment that would work on the Ebola virus even 6 days after infection and in mice, tests on primates have not yet been made and Nigeria will soon receive a small stock of used product to treat the flu and running on the Nile Fever, Yellow Fever and Foot and Mouth Disease.

Lamivudine, anti-HIV molecule available in quantity in Africa, is being tested to treat Ebola57.