Ebola Virus Disease: The Global Worry

Ebola virus disease caused by the Ebola virus was identified in 1976 and is an emerging and re-emerging zoonosis. Outbreaks have occurred in Africa in the ensuing years, with mortality rates ranging from 50 to 90 %. The 2014 outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa is the largest outbreak of Ebola virus disease in history. It has claimed more lives than all the previous epidemics combined. This single stranded Ribonucleic acid virus has five known species Zaire Ebola virus, Sudan Ebola virus, Tai Forest Ebola virus, Reston Ebola virus, and Bundibugyo Ebola virus. Ebola virus is characterized by high lethality, high infectivity, and lack of effective treatment or prophylaxis. The causes of death are multifactorial and include massive haemorrhage, hypovolemia and electrolyte imbalance, severe sepsis and multi-organ failure. The diagnosis of Ebola virus disease is done on the basis of clinical symptoms, detection of antigen/virus and the antibodies. Present treatment strategies are mainly symptomatic and supportive. No licensed human or animal vaccine is currently available for the prevention and control of the lethal Ebola virus disease. Several experimental trials are underway in various parts of the world to find an efficient vaccine to prevent Ebola virus infection and spread. This review describes the morphology, classification, pathogenesis, clinical features, epidemiology, diagnosis, prevention and vaccines.