The Ebola virus: a review of progress and development in research

• Main Authors: Yitades Gebre, Teshome Gebre, Abena Peters
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2014-12-01
• Series: Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine
• Subjects: Ebola virus disease; Ebola vaccines; Ebola therapeutic drugs; Ebola non-human primates; Ebola research
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2221169115301040

The Ebola virus was identified in the year 1976 and has caused periodic outbreaks in West African countries. The disease has a case fatality rate up to 90%. Ebola has been classified as a biosafety level four pathogen and there is no currently approved vaccine or treatment for the virus. However, remarkable progress has been demonstrated by researchers in understanding the pathogenicity of the Ebola virus. Several animal models have been cultivated to develop diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutic drugs.