Liberian laboratory technicians in personal protective equipment preparing to test<unk>  samples. A range of laboratory investigations are performed, where possible, to diagnose the disease and assess its course and complications. The confidence of a diagnosis can be compromised if laboratory tests are not available. One comprising factor is the number of febrile illnesses present in Africa, such as malaria or typhoid fever that could potentially exhibit similar symptoms, particularly for non-specific manifestations of<unk> . In cases with abdominal pain, in countries where<unk>  is common,<unk>  is often misdiagnosed as appendicitis and intussusception which delays treatment with the antiviral ribavirin. In West Africa, where<unk>  is most common, it is difficult to diagnose due to the absence of proper equipment to perform testing. The FDA has yet to approve a widely validated laboratory test for<unk> , but there are tests that have been able to provide definitive proof of the presence of the LASV virus. These tests include cell cultures, PCR, ELISA antigen<unk> ys, plaque neutralization<unk> ys, and immunofluorescence essays. However, immunofluorescence essays provide less definitive proof of<unk>  infection. An ELISA test for antigen and Immunoglobulin M antibodies give 88% sensitivity and 90% specificity for the presence of the infection. Other laboratory findings in<unk>  include lymphocytopenia (low white blood cell count), thrombocytopenia (low platelets), and elevated aspartate transaminase levels in the blood.<unk>  virus can also be found in cerebrospinal fluid.
Lassa fever
Ebola
Chikungunya
Malaria
Zika fever
Typhoid fever
Trench fever
Blackwater fever