INTRODUCTION The Ebola virus disease (EVD) was first identified in 1976 during two simultaneous outbreaks, one in Sudan and the other in Democratic Republic of Congo. Since then there have been 24 outbreaks involving 28,635 reported cases and 11,314 deaths according to the World Health Organization (REFERENCE). EVD is an example of an “emerging/ re-emerging” pathogen, due to its divergent genomes and sporadic outbreaks causing severe hemorrhaging fever in humans and non-human primates. The family Filoviridae is made up of three genera; Cuevairus, Marburgvirus and Ebolavirus. The genus Ebolaviruses is comprised of four species that have had the ability to cause infection in humans. These species originated from Africa (Zaire, Sudan and Bundibugyo), with one additional species being found in the Philippians (Reston). This additional specie is asymptomatic in humans but is fatal in non-human primates, such as pigs. (REFERENCE). The countries that have been most affected by this virus are those with weak health system, that lack infrastructural resources and are commonly in periods of instability and conflict.
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Today’s research is mostly focused on Zaire ebolavirus, the virulent virus responsible for the 2013 epidemic Ebola outbreak, which spread out of the original endemic area of West Africa. This review centralized research on the Zaire species. The focus was to explore three key areas; to better understand what is currently known and what should be further researched about the chain of Ebola virus infection, to describe the determinants involved in the EVD spread, and to discuss the susceptibility of outbreaks in developing countries. Researchers are only beginning to investigate the virus genomics, the transmission in humans, and epidemiological features unique to the virus. This is because most of this information remains incomplete due to limited data collection before the 2014 epidemic. Multiple hypotheses have been proposed regarding the virus reservoir and the zoonotic mode of transmission GENOMICS OF EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE Ebolaviruses can be classified as an enveloped single stranded negative-sense RNA genome. The glycoprotein gene associated with the Ebola virus has remained stable since the isolation of the virus in 1976, 97% of ebolavirus samples are similar to the first emergence of the virus. Before the 2013 epidemic there was 48 complete sequences known for the 5 Ebolavirus genus, since the outbreak there are a total of 129 genomic sequences recognized. Data from the genomic sequences reveal that the Zaire ebolavirus in the 2013 outbreak can be traced from Guinea into Sierra Leone and shows the outbreak in Guinea is a consequence of a single zoonotic event. The genomic data also uncovers details regarding how the virus spread through the population. Studies by both Volz, E (2014) and Stadler, T(2014) suggest that ebolavirus can be classified as a super-spreader disease. This means that small portions of the infected individuals are responsible for a majority of the disease transmission. THE SPREAD The chain of infection starts with the causative agent leaving the reservoir or host and spreading through some mode of transmission until it is able to get entry and infect a susceptible host. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) set out basic conditions required for the infection to spread from one person to another; 1. One person must be infected, 2. The other person must be susceptible to infection, 3. The infectious agent must be
Today’s research is mostly focused on Zaire ebolavirus, the virulent virus responsible for the 2013 epidemic Ebola outbreak, which spread out of the original endemic area of West Africa. This review centralized research on the Zaire species. The focus was to explore three key areas; to better understand what is currently known and what should be further researched about the chain of Ebola virus infection, to describe the determinants involved in the EVD spread, and to discuss the susceptibility of outbreaks in developing countries. Researchers are only beginning to investigate the virus genomics, the transmission in humans, and epidemiological features unique to the virus. This is because most of this information remains incomplete due to limited data collection before the 2014 epidemic. Multiple hypotheses have been proposed regarding the virus reservoir and the zoonotic mode of transmission GENOMICS OF EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE Ebolaviruses can be classified as an enveloped single stranded negative-sense RNA genome. The glycoprotein gene associated with the Ebola virus has remained stable since the isolation of the virus in 1976, 97% of ebolavirus samples are similar to the first emergence of the virus. Before the 2013 epidemic there was 48 complete sequences known for the 5 Ebolavirus genus, since the outbreak there are a total of 129 genomic sequences recognized. Data from the genomic sequences reveal that the Zaire ebolavirus in the 2013 outbreak can be traced from Guinea into Sierra Leone and shows the outbreak in Guinea is a consequence of a single zoonotic event. The genomic data also uncovers details regarding how the virus spread through the population. Studies by both Volz, E (2014) and Stadler, T(2014) suggest that ebolavirus can be classified as a super-spreader disease. This means that small portions of the infected individuals are responsible for a majority of the disease transmission. THE SPREAD The chain of infection starts with the causative agent leaving the reservoir or host and spreading through some mode of transmission until it is able to get entry and infect a susceptible host. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) set out basic conditions required for the infection to spread from one person to another; 1. One person must be infected, 2. The other person must be susceptible to infection, 3. The infectious agent must be