The dynamics of blood coagulation system parameters
is shown in Fig. 5. The infection course in the
adEBO-infected monkeys exhibited a prolonged moderately
pronounced hypercoagulation stage (according to
thrombin and prothrombin indices) followed by
hypocoagualtion on day 7 and turning into complete
absence of clotting on day 9. The fibrinogen level
remained stable and decreased only on days 10–11.
Paracoagulation products in plasma appeared first on
day 3 (in the serum-on day 5) and their amount reached
the maximum on day 9–10. This indicated the presence
in the blood of non-polymerized fibrin-monomers
blocked by fibrinogen degradation products. The
platelet count during the course of disease was virtually
the same with some decrease by the disease outcome
and appearance of large juvenile platelets in blood
starting with day 9.
4. Discussion
Baboons are closely related to humans phylogenetically,
so the data in this model are significant for
human disease. Adaptability of EBO virulence to rodents
suggested the possibility of circulation in nature
of avirulent, antigenically cross-reactive variants that
might cause mild or subclinical infections in humans
and primates [15]. Therefore, it was important to study
the course of Ebola fever caused by adEBO in baboons.
This information may help to assess the virulence of the
adEBO for higher phylogenetic species.