Severe Ebola virus disease with vascular leakage and multiorgan failure: treatment of a patient in intensive care

Time From Infection to Disease and Infectiousness for Ebola Virus Disease, a Systematic Review

We systematically reviewed the literature to estimate the incubation and latent periods of Ebola virus disease. We found limited epidemiological data from individuals with discrete 1-day exposures. Available data suggest that the incubation and latent periods may differ, and mathematical models may be improved by distinguishing between the two periods.

Management of Microbiological Samples in a Confirmed Case of Ebola Virus Disease: Constraints and Limitations

In light of the recent Ebola virus outbreak, it has to be realized that besides medical treatment, precise algorithms for the management of complicating microbial infections are mandatory for Ebola virus disease (EVD) patients. While the necessity of such diagnostics is apparent, practical details are much less clear. Our approach, established during the treatment of an EVD patient at the University Hospital in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, provides a roadmap for reliable and safe on-site microbiological testing.

Treating the Host Response to Ebola Virus Disease with Generic Statins and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers

Treatments targeting the Ebola virus may eventually be shown to work, but they will not have an impact on overall Ebola mortality in West Africa. Endothelial dysfunction is responsible for the fluid and electrolyte imbalances seen in Ebola patients. Because inexpensive generic statins and angiotensin receptor blockers restore endothelial barrier integrity, they can be used to treat the host response in these patients. In Sierra Leone, approximately 100 Ebola patients were treated with this combination, and reports indicate that survival was greatly improved.

Viral Respiratory Infections of Adults in the Intensive Care Unit

Viral lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are an underappreciated cause of critical illness in adults. Recent advances in viral detection techniques over the past decade have demonstrated viral LRTIs are associated with rates of morbidity, mortality, and health care utilization comparable to those of seen with bacterial community acquired and nosocomial pneumonias. In this review, we describe the relationship between viral LRTIs and critical illness, as well as discuss relevant clinical features and management strategies for the more prevalent respiratory viral pathogens.

[Ebola virus disease in West Africa and Germany : clinical presentation, management and practical experience with medevacuated patients in Germany]

Ebolaviruses are the causative pathogens of a severe form of viral haemorrhagic fever with cytokine induced shock and multi-organ failure and a high case fatality rate in humans (50-90 %, more than 70 % in the beginning of the current outbreak), designated Ebola haemorrhagic fever or Ebola virus disease (EVD). Ebola is endemic in regions of Central and West Africa. Ebolavirus Zaire (EBOV) is the most aggressive Ebola virus species and is causing the current epidemic. Currently, beginning in late 2013, an unprecedented epidemic with several thousand cases and deaths (as per WHO report 24.12.2014: 19,497 documented cases, 7588 death, 2352 cases in past 3 weeks) is unfolding in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and spreading to other countries in Africa, Europe and the USA, where isolated cases have occurred. Ebola transmission occurs exclusively through direct contact with body fluids through mucosal surfaces, skin abrasions, or by parenteral introduction-an aerolised transmission has not been reported so far. Infections in healthcare personnel have not only occurred after needle stick injuries but also after unsafe doffing procedures of personal protection equipment (PPE). The protection of healthcare personnel caring for Ebola patients, therefore, requires that high standards in the use of PPE are mandatory. In high-income countries the management and treatment of EVD patients in specialized centres is recommended. Using negative pressure rooms and positive pressure suits may provide additional safety. Due to the high degree of training and monitoring needed to prevent occupational risks, treatment of EVD patients in non-specialized hospitals should not take place.

The Use of TKM-100802 and Convalescent Plasma in 2 Patients With Ebola Virus Disease in the United States

BACKGROUND

The current West Africa Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak has resulted in multiple individuals being medically evacuated to other countries for clinical management.

METHODS

We report two patients who were transported from West Africa to the United States for treatment of EVD. Both patients received aggressive supportive care measures, as well as an investigational therapeutic (TKM-100802) and convalescent plasma.

RESULTS

While one patient experienced critical illness with multi-organ failure requiring mechanical ventilation and renal replacement therapy, both patients recovered without serious long-term sequelae to date.

CONCLUSIONS

It is unclear what role the experimental drug and convalescent plasma had in the recovery of these patients. Prospective clinical trials are needed to delineate the role of investigational therapies in the care of patients with EVD.

Are adaptive randomised trials or non-randomised studies the best way to address the Ebola outbreak in west Africa?

The Ebola outbreak that has devastated parts of west Africa represents an unprecedented challenge for research and ethics. Estimates from the past three decades emphasise that the present effort to contain the epidemic in the three most affected countries (Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone) has been insufficient, with more than 24 900 cases and about 10 300 deaths, as of March 25, 2015. Faced with such an exceptional event and the urgent response it demands, the use of randomised controlled trials (RCT) for Ebola-related research might be both unethical and infeasible and that potential interventions should be assessed in non-randomised studies on the basis of compassionate use. However, non-randomised studies might not yield valid conclusions, leading to large residual uncertainty about how to interpret the results, and can also waste scarce intervention-related resources, making them profoundly unethical. Scientifically sound and rigorous study designs, such as adaptive RCTs, could provide the best way to reduce the time needed to develop new interventions and to obtain valid results on their efficacy and safety while preserving the application of ethical precepts. We present an overview of clinical studies registered at present at the four main international trial registries and provide a simulation on how adaptive RCTs can behave in this context, when mortality varies simultaneously in either the control or the experimental group.

Ebola: a holistic approach is required to achieve effective management and control

The current Ebola outbreak in West Africa has already caused substantial mortality and dire human and economic consequences. It continues to represent an alarming public health threat in the region and beyond and jeopardizes the provision of health care and other services in the affected countries. The scale of the epidemic has accelerated research efforts for diagnostics, treatment, and prevention galvanized through increased availability of funding. Our knowledge relating to the virus, disease pathogenesis, risk factors, dynamics of transmission, and epidemic control is increasing, and sociocultural factors have emerged as critical determinants for the success and failure of control efforts. However, there is a long way to go. In this review we summarize the current knowledge, examine the sociocultural context in West Africa, and outline priority areas for future research.