Latest Ebola Treatment: Hospital in Thailand claims to have found Ebola cure

After the potential treatments developed by US and Japanese researchers, doctors in Thailand have found a potential treatment for Ebola. In a brief announcement, Siriraj Hospital at Mahidol University claimed that doctors at the hospital have successfully produced antibodies against Ebola virus that can cure Ebola, Bangkok Post online reported today.

It is not clear what exactly the hospital has to offer. While a government-run website proclaimed it a 'cure' for the disease, other reports said it was a preventative vaccine. It could mean the hospital's development of antibodies could lead to a treatment applied after infection to stimulate the body's natural immune system to fight off infection, the report said. Dr Pattarachai Kiratisin, head of the faculty's microbiology department declined to elaborate on the findings.

The doctors, however, told a local media source that researchers have not imported the dangerous Ebola virus into Thailand to develop the treatment. Instead, they used less-virulent viruses that produce similar hemorrhagic fevers, it said. Ebola is a disease of humans and other primates caused by Ebola virus and its symptoms - fever, sore throat, muscle pain and headaches - start two days to three weeks after contracting the virus.

Also Read

More News

What is the Ebola virus disease survival rate?

The Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe clinical condition that has threatened the entire world. It is caused by a virus of Filoviridae family. Although 5 types of Ebola virus have been identified, only four have been found to cause the disease in humans. The virus spreads easily through close contact with bodily fluids (like semen, saliva, blood and sweat), skin or objects (like needles or garments) of an infected person. (Read: Ebola virus causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and prevention)

This disease that is highly infectious kills more than 90% of the individuals being infected with the virus (which means that the mortality rate of the Ebola disease is 90%). Hence only 10% of the individuals being infected with the virus survive i.e., the survival rate of the Ebola infection is only 10%. Read more about What is the Ebola virus disease survival rate?

With inputs from PTI

Photo source: Getty images

You may also like to read:

Add The HealthSite as a Preferred Source

For more articles on diseases & conditions , visit our diseases & conditions section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And for health-related queries, visit our Questions and Answers section.