The Diagnostic testing for Ebola disease and Marburg virus disease: interim guidance, 9 July 2026

Overview

Rapid diagnosis of Ebola disease (EBOD) and Marburg virus disease (MVD) is critical to provide timely and appropriate care and stop transmission. These diseases can be difficult to clinically distinguish from other infectious diseases such as malaria, and countermeasures, including vaccines and therapeutics, are available specifically for some species of orthoebolaviruses and orthomarburgviruses, meaning that laboratory confirmation is very important. Handling of samples from patients with suspected EBOD or MVD requires appropriate biosafety measures. 

This document constitutes an update to the Diagnostic testing for Ebola and Marburg virus diseases: interim guidance, 20 December 2024.

It provides interim guidance to laboratory personnel, clinicians, health workers, public health officials, outbreak response teams, and other stakeholders involved in the diagnosis and care of patients with suspected or confirmed EBOD or MVD, from specimen collection through to diagnostic analysis and reporting.