Ebola: Why children are last to be treated in medical crises
In the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, children are more likely to die than adults. But it's not always due to the disease. Specific medicines for younger people are often harder to come by.
Ebola is ravaging the Democratic Republic of Congo, with over 3,000 deaths since mid-May. Young children under five have a mortality rate exceeding 60%, a figure largely attributed to inadequate medication and information on administration. The EBO-PEP study, investigating an experimental antiviral drug, initially excluded children weighing less than 30 kilograms and around 12 years old or younger.
However, protocols may soon expand to include children over 20 kilograms. Yet, a 10-day infusion course for these young patients is impractical. An alternative, intravenous remdesivir, is cumbersome and poses challenges for young Ebola victims. Children are more susceptible to the virus due to weakened immune systems, underlying conditions, and difficulty in diagnosis and treatment.
A pediatric doctor at Berlin's Charite hospital treated an American doctor and his family with an experimental antibody drug, MBP134, after contracting Bundibugyo Ebola while caring for patients. Although the effectiveness of this treatment on children remains uncertain, it underscores the necessity of pediatric studies and specialized formulations for effective Ebola treatment.
Written by urgent.news from Deutsche Welle Science's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
