KARAN CHOPRA

Comparative Virology
October 2005

MOHAN BOLISETTY

Virus Classification
Group: Group V (-)ssRNA.
Order:Mononegavirales
Family:Filoviridae
Genus:Ebolavirus
Ebolas natural reservoir is unknown.
Non human primates have been the source of
human infections but are not thought to be the
reservoirs.

History

Named after the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of

the Congo (formerly Zaire), near the first epidemics.

Two species were identified in 1976:

Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV) and
Sudan ebolavirus (SEBOV)

Case fatality rates of 83% and 54% respectively.

A third species, Reston ebolavirus (REBOV), was
discovered in November 1989 in a group of monkeys
(Macaca fascicularis) imported from the Philippines.
Ivory Coast ebolavirus Only one case. Unlucky scientist.

OUTBREAKS
EBOLA Saga

Saga Continues

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/mnpages/dispages/ebotabl.htm

Most Recent
April 25 June 16 2005 total of 12
cases including 9 deaths were
reported in Etoumbi and Mbomo in
the Cuvette Quest Region.

Modes of Transmission
There are 3 modes of
infection:
1. Unsterilized needles
2. Suboptimal Hospital
conditions
3. Personal contact

http://www.ecplanet.com/pic/2003/12/1071257871/ebola.jpg

Symptoms

Onset of fever.
Intense weakness.
Muscle Pain.
Headache.
Soar Throat.
Vommitting, Diarrhoea.
Impaired Kidnay and liver function.

Is There a Cure?
There are no known curative
medications for Ebola.
However, there have been very
recent developments in preventative
medications.

Vaccines
In June, Jones and his colleagues, Dr.
Heinz Feldmann of Winnipeg and Dr.
Thomas Geisbert at Fort Detrick,
Maryland announced that they had
successfully vaccinated monkeys against
the deadly Ebola virus
The Ebola vaccine is based on the 1976
strain of the Zaire species and protects
from the 1995, but not the other 2 species
that affect humans.

Bioterrorism
Airborne transmission of Ebola Zaire
has been demonstrated in monkeys
in a controlled laboratory experiment
Plum Island?

Conclusion
Even though scientists have recently
made breakthroughs there is still
need for extensive research to find
vaccines and cures for this deadly
virus.

References

www.wikipidea.com
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/mnpages/dispages/ebotabl.ht
m
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/
Hampton, Tracy. Vaccines Against Ebola and Marburg Viruses
Show Promise in Primates Studies. Maedical News and
Perspectives. JAMA. Vol. 294 No. 2 July 2005.

Jones, Steven. Live attenuated recombinant vaccine

protects nonhuman primates against Ebola and Marburg
viruses. Nature Medicine. Vol. 11 No. 7 July 2005.