The current Ebola outbreak in West Africa is the most rabid one in history, and the countries that are hardest hit by the virus are struggling just trying to keep up with the disease. However a new hurdle has surface, with the World Health Organization announcing that it is now working with local authorities to eliminate the trade of blood convalescent serum within the black market. Blood convalescent serum comes from the blood of Ebola survivors and is believed to contain antibodies that can help fight the Ebola virus. Although the viability of this type of treatment is unproven, desperate people are doing whatever they think can help them survive.
The WHO has issues a statement about the situation saying, "Studies suggest blood transfusion from survivors might prevent or treat Ebola virus infection in others, but the results of the studies are still difficult to interpret." They added that, "It is not known whether antibodies in the plasma of survivors are sufficient to treat or prevent the disease. More research is needed"
Doctors believe that the use of convalescent blood serum has appealed to patients in Africa primarily because of its use in the highly publicized treatment of American health worker, Dr., Richard Sacra, who famously received blood from fellow American, Dr. Kent Brantly, who survived the disease after also being infected in Liberia. Unlike this controlled situation, however, patients in Africa are obtaining the blood through improper channels and health authorities are concerned that this might lead to the transmission of other diseases, such as HIV and other blood related infections.
According to WHO Director General, Margaret Chan, "We need to work very closely with the affected countries to stem out of black-market trading of convalescent serum...because it is in the interest of individuals not to just convalescent serum without going through the proper standard and the proper testing because it is important that there may be other infectious vectors that we need to look at."
