Abstract:
Abstract: Ebola virus disease is caused by a highly
contagious and pathogenic threadlike RNA virus
of the Filoviridae family. The index human case is
usually a zoonosis that launches human-to-human
transmission interface with varying levels of sustainability
of the epidemic depending on the level
of public health preparedness of the affected country
and the Ebola virus strain. The disease affects
all age groups in the population. Clinical diagnosis
is challenging in index cases especially in the early
stages of the disease when the presenting features
are usually nonspecific and only similar to a flu-like
illness. However, in the agonal stages, hemorrhage
frequently occurs in a high proportion of cases. The
diagnostic gold standard is by detecting the antigen
using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.
Mortality rates in the past 28 outbreaks since
1976 have ranged from 30% to 100% in different
settings among adults, but lower mortality rates
have been documented in children. This review
aims to describe Ebola virus infection, clinical presentation,
diagnosis and outcomes in children.
