Re-emerging infectious diseases: Ebola hemorrhagic fever

Abstract

The spring of 2014 has brought a new calamity, the exotic infectious disease: Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever, which is caused by a highly contagious and pathogenic virus, transmitted directly by interpersonal contact or indirectly by common usage of objects. The epidemic which occurred in Guinea tended to expand to neighboring countries; 83 deaths have been reported on April 1st 2014. Genetic analysis have revealed that the virus that causes this epidemic is similar in a proportion of 98% to Ebolavirus Zaire (EBOV) species that were responsible for the epidemic in Democratic Republic of Congo, in 2008. The Ebola virus belongs to the Filoviridae family, Ebolavirus genus and causes Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever, with a rate of fatality of up to 90% in humans. There are five distinct species: Bundibugyo Ebolavirus (BDBV), Ebolavirus Zaire (EBOV), Reston Ebolavirus (RESTV), Sudan Ebolavirus (SUDV) and Taï Forest Ebolavirus (TAFV).

Keywords

• Ebola
• Hemorrhagic Fever
• exotic diseases
• epidemic