Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever
Ebola: * What is Ebola?
Ebola is a virus that causes Ebola hemorrhagic fever (Ebola HF). The Ebola virus belongs to the RNA virus family known as Filoviridae. There have been five strains of the Ebola virus identified (four of them are known to cause illness in humans). * Ebola Genome: One of two RNA viruses * First Recognized: 1976 Zaire Africa * Native to Africa * Unknown Origin, or natural reservoir * Ebola is very acute, infection is very rapid so * There are no known effective treatments or vaccines for EBOV infection in humans, which makes the EBOV a potential bioterrorist agent.
Summary
The focus of this webpage is to describe the characteristics of the family of viruses Filoviridae specifically the Ebola virus strain. We will describe the mechanisms by which this virus infects a host, causing disease and eventually death for the majority of victims. We will also describe possibilities for treatment and therapies, and ongoing efforts to eradicate this deadly virus.
Intro to Ebola virus
Ebola virions are capable of infecting a very wide range of different host cell types. This includes humans, nonhuman primates, rodents and bats. This virus is of unknown etiology but is suspected to originate from a bat reservoir. This is suspected because it was reported in 2005 that three species of fruit bats had symptomless infection (BCM).
Structure
Filovirus has unenveloped helical morphology, with a single stranded negative sense RNA genome. This virus inherits a U or corkscrew shape that extends about 800 to 1000 nm.
(11) (5)
Ebola Classification and Taxonomy Ebola causes viral hemorrhagic fever from the order Mononegavirales found in the family of Filoviridae viruses. Within the Filoviridae family there are two genera Ebolavirus and Marburgvirus. There are five species in the Ebolavirus genus and two in the Marburgvirus see table 1. They are enveloped particles with single stranded RNA genome. Gene is about 19kb
Ebola is a virus that causes Ebola hemorrhagic fever (Ebola HF). The Ebola virus belongs to the RNA virus family known as Filoviridae. There have been five strains of the Ebola virus identified (four of them are known to cause illness in humans). * Ebola Genome: One of two RNA viruses * First Recognized: 1976 Zaire Africa * Native to Africa * Unknown Origin, or natural reservoir * Ebola is very acute, infection is very rapid so * There are no known effective treatments or vaccines for EBOV infection in humans, which makes the EBOV a potential bioterrorist agent.
Summary
The focus of this webpage is to describe the characteristics of the family of viruses Filoviridae specifically the Ebola virus strain. We will describe the mechanisms by which this virus infects a host, causing disease and eventually death for the majority of victims. We will also describe possibilities for treatment and therapies, and ongoing efforts to eradicate this deadly virus.
Intro to Ebola virus
Ebola virions are capable of infecting a very wide range of different host cell types. This includes humans, nonhuman primates, rodents and bats. This virus is of unknown etiology but is suspected to originate from a bat reservoir. This is suspected because it was reported in 2005 that three species of fruit bats had symptomless infection (BCM).
Structure
Filovirus has unenveloped helical morphology, with a single stranded negative sense RNA genome. This virus inherits a U or corkscrew shape that extends about 800 to 1000 nm.
(11) (5)
Ebola Classification and Taxonomy Ebola causes viral hemorrhagic fever from the order Mononegavirales found in the family of Filoviridae viruses. Within the Filoviridae family there are two genera Ebolavirus and Marburgvirus. There are five species in the Ebolavirus genus and two in the Marburgvirus see table 1. They are enveloped particles with single stranded RNA genome. Gene is about 19kb
References: 1. Albert Einstein College of Medicine. "Researchers find 'key ' used by Ebola virus to unlock cells and spread deadly infection." ScienceDaily, 24 Aug. 2011. Web. 8 Dec. 2012. 2. Bray, Mike, and Thomas W. Geisbert. "Ebola virus: the role of macrophages and dendritic cells in the pathogenesis of Ebola hemorrhagic fever." The international journal of biochemistry & cell biology 37.8 (2005): 1560-1566. 3. "How Ebola-Infected Cells Evade the Immune System." Virology. Nasw.org, Sept. 2010. Web. 04 Dec. 2012. <http://www.nasw.org/users/mslong/2010/2010_09/Ebola.htm>. 6. "Ebola Fact Sheet." Federation of American Scientists. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2012. <http://www.fas.org/programs/bio/factsheets 7 8. Mohamadzadeh, Mansour, Lieping Chen, and Alan L. Schmaljohn. "How Ebola And Marburg Viruses Battle The Immune System." Nature Reviews Immunology 7.7 (2007): 556-567. Academic Search Complete. Web. 4 Dec. 2012. 10. Perry, Donna L., Laura Bollinger, and Gary L. White. "The Baboon as a Model of Human Ebola Virus Infection." Viruses (2012): 2400-416. 23 Oct. 2012. Web. 11. "Prime Health Channel." Prime Health Channel Ebola Virus Symptoms Pictures Structure Facts and History Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2012. 12. Scripps Research Institute. "Scientists reveal key structure from Ebola virus." ScienceDaily, 9 Dec. 2009. Web. 8 Dec. 2012. 13. University of Iowa Health Care. "Receptor for Ebola virus identified." ScienceDaily, 3 May 2011. Web. 8 Dec. 2012.