TY - JOUR
T1 - A novel immunohistochemical assay for the detection of Ebola virus in skin
T2 - Implications for diagnosis, spread, and surveillance of Ebola hemorrhagic fever
AU - Zaki, Sherif R.
AU - Shieh, Wun Ju
AU - Greer, Patricia W.
AU - Goldsmith, Cynthia S.
AU - Ferebee, Tara
AU - Katshitshi, Jacques
AU - Tshioko, F. Kweteminga
AU - Bwaka, Mpia A.
AU - Swanepoel, Robert
AU - Calain, Philippe
AU - Khan, Ali S.
AU - Lloyd, Ethleen
AU - Rollin, Pierre E.
AU - Ksiazek, Thomas G.
AU - Peters, Clarence J.
PY - 1999
Y1 - 1999
N2 - Laboratory diagnosis of Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) is currently performed by virus isolation and serology and can be done only in a few high- containment laboratories worldwide. In 1995, during the EHF outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the possibility of using immunohistochemistry (IHC) testing of formalin-fixed postmortem skin specimens was investigated as an alternative diagnostic method for EHF. Fourteen of 19 cases of suspected EHF met the surveillance definition for EHF and were positive by IHC. IHC, serologic, and virus isolation results were concordant for all EHF and non- EHF cases. IHC and electron microscopic examination showed that endothelial cells, mononuclear phagocytes, and hepatocytes are main targets of infection, and IHC showed an association of cellular damage with vital infection. The finding of abundant viral antigens and particles in the skin of EHF patients suggests an epidemiologic role for contact transmission. IHC testing of formalin-fixed skin specimens is a safe, sensitive, and specific method for laboratory diagnosis of EHF and should be useful for EHF surveillance and prevention.
AB - Laboratory diagnosis of Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) is currently performed by virus isolation and serology and can be done only in a few high- containment laboratories worldwide. In 1995, during the EHF outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the possibility of using immunohistochemistry (IHC) testing of formalin-fixed postmortem skin specimens was investigated as an alternative diagnostic method for EHF. Fourteen of 19 cases of suspected EHF met the surveillance definition for EHF and were positive by IHC. IHC, serologic, and virus isolation results were concordant for all EHF and non- EHF cases. IHC and electron microscopic examination showed that endothelial cells, mononuclear phagocytes, and hepatocytes are main targets of infection, and IHC showed an association of cellular damage with vital infection. The finding of abundant viral antigens and particles in the skin of EHF patients suggests an epidemiologic role for contact transmission. IHC testing of formalin-fixed skin specimens is a safe, sensitive, and specific method for laboratory diagnosis of EHF and should be useful for EHF surveillance and prevention.
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U2 - 10.1086/514319
DO - 10.1086/514319
M3 - Article
C2 - 9988163
AN - SCOPUS:0033038993
SN - 0022-1899
VL - 179
SP - S36-S47
JO - Journal of Infectious Diseases
JF - Journal of Infectious Diseases
IS - SUPPL. 1
ER -