The WHO and CDC have been hypothesizing that there may be thousands more cases of Ebola than they are aware of. They realize that some people may not seek treatment, some leave the area, some die without anyone knowing that they have Ebola. The WHO, in it's latest estimate, states that there may be 2.5 times more cases of Ebola than its data show.
But there were also more Ebola survivors than we're aware of, as well. Researchers have unearthed data that some people, perhaps many people, may have become infected with Ebola but remained asymptomatic. But they did develop anti-Ebola antibodies. If so, this could be extremely helpful in dealing with the devastating Ebola outbreak in West Africa
More below the roiling shepherd's crook virus.
The researchers sent a letter to the Lancet, a British medical journal. It's written by a group of US scientists who are reviewing information previously reported on Ebola outbreaks.
The letter cites data from earlier studies done on smaller Ebola outbreaks. This research showed that anti-Ebola antibodies could be found in people who never displayed symptoms of Ebola (see second link, below.) Both studies showed that a reasonable number of people who had not developed Ebola, had anti-Ebola antibodies.
The authors suggest that people in the area of the outbreak who don't have Ebola be tested for antibodies. Those healthy people who have significant antibody titers could be recruited to do needed jobs (nursing assistant, burial detail, etc.) that are now being done by the non-immune. If enough immune people are found, this could significantly help with the manpower needs of the area. And decrease the exposure risk of others working with patients in the area.
The authors also mention that people with antibodies would not need to be vaccinated when a vaccine does become available. Thus reducing the number of doses of vaccine that would need to be manufactured and distributed.
Additionally, these immune people could possibly serve as plasma donors. Their plasma, or antibodies isolated from it, could be used to treat patients currently ill with Ebola.
This could potentially be some good news for those currently in the Ebola outbreak zone.
The first link, below will take you to the letter and the data they present there.
http://www.thelancet.com/...(14)61839-0/fulltext
http://www.thelancet.com/...(00)02405-3/fulltext