Oct 1, 2007

Ebola Virus Outbreak

Scientists and a mobile laboratory from the Public Health Agency of Canada have been assisting with an Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo since mid-September, 2007 where more than 372 people have been infected, 171 of whom have died.

Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia announced that it has deployed an eight-person team to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in response to a request for assistance from the MInistry of Health in the DRC.

The outbreak occurred in a remote province causing problems in providing care to those infected and in tracing contacts.

Like Marburg virus, Ebola virus is highly contagious and causes a severe and often fatal hemorrhagic fever. Currently, there is no treatment to cure the infection and no vaccine to prevent infection.

A similar Ebola outbreak in 1995 in the same country (previously known as Zaire) was responsible for a total of 233 deaths.

Ebola virus is named after a river in Democratic Republic of Congo where it was first recognized. Although scientists believe that the Ebola virus is zoonotic in nature (animal-borne), maintained in a host native to Africa, but to date its source has not been identified. Ebola hemorrhagic fever occurs in humans and in non-human primates (monkeys, chimpanzees and gorillas).

A potential source for Marburg virus was identified in an outbreak this past summer among miners in Uganda.

Read more about hemorrhagic fever:

Marburg Fever: African Fruit Bats Potential Reservoir

Sources:

News Release September 17, 2007 (PHAC)

CDC Scientists Travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo to Fight Ebola Outbreak

Marburg Fever Outbreak Leads Scientists to Suspected Disease Reservoir (WHO)