Utility of Oral Swab Sampling for Ebola Virus Detection in Guinea Pig Model

Emerg Infect Dis. 2015 Oct;21(10):1816-9. doi: 10.3201/eid2110.150840.

Abstract

To determine the utility of oral swabs for diagnosing infection with Ebola virus, we used a guinea pig model and obtained daily antemortem and postmortem swab samples. According to quantitative reverse transcription PCR analysis, the diagnostic value was poor for antemortem swab samples but excellent for postmortem samples.

Keywords: Ebola; guinea pig; oral swab; qRT-PCR; viral hemorrhagic fever; viruses; wild-type Ebola virus.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Early Diagnosis*
  • Ebolavirus*
  • Guinea Pigs
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / diagnosis*
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / virology
  • Humans
  • Mouth / virology*
  • Specimen Handling / methods*