Ebola Virus, Its Manifestations and Reported Therapeutic Strategies

Abstract

All five species of Ebolavirus discovered to date are known to cause a deadly disease known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever. This viral hemorrhagic fever is associated with severe manifestations and high case-fatality rate. It has caused several periodic outbreaks since its discovery in 1976, but the recent one in 2014 has affected a number of people than never before. It is endemic in the Philippines and Central Africa, showing that it has a strange geographic distribution. The Ebola virus (EBOV) comprises negative sense RNA which encodes seven viral proteins of which VP40 is of paramount importance in viral assemble, budding and egress. Its pathogenicity is multifactorial owing to which no licensed vaccines and approved treatments are currently available. However, several promising candidates have been produced by research in non-human primates. Here, we review the virology, manifestations, reported proposed therapeutic intervention strategies and the recent outbreak.