Ebola
Hemorrhagic Fever
Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever is an often fatal disease
caused by the Ebola
virus and has appeared in outbursts since its initial recognition. The Ebola
virus is classified under the Filovirus family. There are also four types of the
Ebola virus: Ebola-Zaire, Ebola-Sudan, Ebola-Ivory Coast(Tai), and Ebola-Reston.
Filoviruses are classified as biosafety level 4 agents because of their extreme
pathogenicity and the lack of a vaccine or effective antiviral drug (www.cdc.gov).
Their natural history and reservoirs remain undefined and their pathogenesis is
poorly understood.
Ebola
Hemorrhagic Fever (Ebola HF) carries a 53%- 88% mortality rate and the
incubation period is 2-21 days.
Outbreaks of the disease have been sporadic and the most deadly cases have
occurred in Zaire(Republic of Congo) and Sudan.
Ebola
HF Occurrences
|
Virus
|
Year
|
Location
|
Cases
|
Mortality
%
|
|
Ebola-Zaire
|
1976
|
Northern
Zaire
|
318
|
88
|
|
Ebola-Sudan
|
1976
|
Southern
Sudan
|
284
|
53
|
|
Ebola-Sudan
|
1976
|
England
|
1
|
0
|
|
Ebola-Zaire
|
1977
|
Southern
Zaire
|
1
|
100
|
|
Ebola-Sudan
|
1979
|
Southern
Sudan
|
34
|
65
|
|
Ebola-Reston
|
1989
|
Virginia,
USA
|
4
|
0
|
|
Ebola-Reston
|
1992
|
Siena,
Italy
|
0
|
0
|
|
Ebola-Ivory
Coast
|
1994
|
Ivory
Coast
|
1
|
0
|
|
Ebola-Zaire
|
1995
|
Southern
Zaire
|
316
|
77
|
|
Ebola-Zaire
|
1996-7
|
Gabon
|
60
|
75
|
(Oldstone
134)
Known
Strains of Ebola Virus
Ebola-Zaire
First
known outbreak of Ebola HF in humans was caused by Ebola-Zaire. This strain
surfaced again in southeren Zaire(Republic of Congo) but only one person died.
Its most recent appearance was in 1995 when it caused another epidemic in
southern Zaire.
Ebola-Sudan
Discovered
in southwestern Sudan in 1976 and 1979.
Ebola-Reston
Strain
of Ebola Virus found in monkeys imported in to the US in 1989. Has not caused
infection in humans.
Ebola-Ivory
Coast
Most
recently discovered strain of Ebola virus. Found in Tai forests of Ivory Coast
in West Africa.
