Abstract
Ebola virus (EBOV), belonging to the species Zaire ebolavirus in the genus Ebolavirus, causes a severe febrile illness in humans with case fatality rates (CFRs) up to 90%. While there have been six virus species classified, which each have a single type virus in the genus Ebolavirus, CFRs of ebolavirus infections vary among viruses belonging to each distinct species. In this review, we aim to define the ebolavirus species-specific virulence on the basis of currently available laboratory and experimental findings. In addition, this review will also cover the variant-specific virulence of EBOV by referring to the unique biological and pathogenic characteristics of EBOV variant Makona, a new EBOV variant isolated from the 2013–2016 EBOV disease outbreak in West Africa. A better definition of species-specific and variant-specific virulence of ebolaviruses will facilitate our comprehensive knowledge on genus Ebolavirus biology, leading to the development of therapeutics against well-focused pathogenic mechanisms of each Ebola disease.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 885-901 |
Number of pages | 17 |
Journal | Virulence |
Volume | 12 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2021 |
Keywords
- Bundibugyo virus
- Ebola virus
- Reston virus
- Sudan virus
- Taï Forest virus
- case fatality rates
- virulence
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Parasitology
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Microbiology (medical)
- Infectious Diseases