Following the new outbreak in Africa... everything you need to know about the deadly Ebola virus
During this period, the virus killed more than 15,000 people, and despite the development of treatments and vaccines for some of its strains, it still poses a deadly threat.
The Ebola virus, or Orthoebolavirus zairense as it is scientifically known, was first identified in 1976 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, then known as Zaire.
Symptoms of high fever
This virus belongs to the filoviridae family, characterized by severe fever, and is named after the river in the north of the country near the epicenter of the first outbreak.
To date, six distinct strains of Ebola virus have been identified: Zaire,Sudan, Bundibugyo, Reston, Forest Forest, and Bombali.
The Zaire strain has caused the vast majority of cases since 2014. The virus is spread by fruit bats, which are the natural reservoir of the Ebola virus and are not themselves susceptible to the disease.
Other animals, such as great apes, antelopes, and porcupines, can also carry and transmit the disease to humans.
How is the Ebola virus transmitted?
During outbreaks, the Ebola virus is transmitted through direct and close contact with infected individuals. A healthy person can become infected through contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, such as blood, vomit, or feces.
People can also become infected during funeral rites if they come into direct contact with the body of a victim of the virus. However, because the Ebola virus is not airborne, it is less contagious than other viral diseases.
Nevertheless, the mortality rate among those infected is very high, reaching between 40 and 70 percent in recent outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to the World Health Organization.
Ebola virus symptoms
A study published in the journal Nature indicated that the virus may remain dormant in survivors, re-emerging years later and causing a new outbreak.
After an incubation period of 2 to 21 days, the first symptoms may appear suddenly: fever, fatigue, malaise, muscle aches, headache, and sore throat.
These are followed by other symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and rash, as well as symptoms of kidney and liver dysfunction, sometimes accompanied by internal and external bleeding.
Survivors often suffer from arthritis, vision problems, eye infections, and hearing difficulties.
Ebola virus vaccines
Only two vaccines are available for the Zaire strain of Ebola: Merck's Ervebo and Johnson & Johnson's Sabdinol.
Three potential vaccines for the Sudan strain have been under trial since late 2022, following approval by the World Health Organization.
Two monoclonal antibodies, which significantly reduce mortality, are also available against the Zaire strain.
Monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-produced antibodies that, like natural antibodies, target a single, specific protein on the surface of a cell, virus, or bacterium—the pathogens that cause disease.
In any case, symptomatic patients are treated with rehydration and blood transfusions.
Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The deadliest Ebola outbreak in history began in southern Guinea in December 2013 and spread throughout West Africa.
The disease killed more than 11,300 people out of 29,000 recorded cases, mostly in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea.
The World Health Organization declared the outbreak over in March 2016.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a vast country in Central Africa with a population of over 100 million, has experienced more than 15 Ebola outbreaks since 1976, resulting in more than 3,000 deaths, according to WHO data.
Nearly 2,300 people died in the DRC's deadliest outbreak between 2018 and 2020.
