Abstract

EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE: A REVIEW ON EPIDEMIOLOGY, PATHOGENESIS, TRANSMISSION AND TREATMENT

Shirode Lina*, Badhe Nanda, Shivam Lale, Kashinath Chormale

Abstract

West Africa is facing the largest outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in history. The virus causing this outbreak, the Zaire Ebolavirus (EBOV), belongs to the genus Ebolavirus which together with the genus Marburgvirus forms the family of the Filoviridae. The epidemiology and pathogenesis of Ebola virus disease is presented here, including new knowledge emerging from the 2014-2015 epidemic of Ebola virus disease in West Africa. In the past, Ebola and Marburg viruses were classified as “haemorrhagic fever viruses”, based upon their clinical manifestations, which include coagulation defects, bleeding and shock. Ebola virus disease is a severe, often fatal, zoonotic filovirus infection. There are five species: Zaire Ebola virus, Sudan Ebola virus, Tai Forest Ebola virus, Bundibugyo Ebola virus, and Reston Ebola virus. Human to human transmission occurs through contact with body fluids from infected patients. The incubation period after infection is 1- 21 days and patients are not considered infectious until they develop symptoms. However, remarkable progress has been demonstrated by researchers in understanding the pathogenicity of the Ebola virus.

Keywords: Ebola virus disease, Viral haemorrhagic fever, Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Transmission, Treatment.