The Ebola Virus is part of the Filoviridae family, meaning its a helical single-stranded

negative-sense RNA strand. (Remember a negative-stranded virus must carry with it

a RNA-dependent RNA polymerase for infectivity).
Marburg virus is in the same class and is very similar to Ebola since both present as
fatal hemorrhagic fevers. The Marburg virus has a natural reservoir in monkeys, while
unknown in the Ebola virus, it is believed to be in bats. Most outbreaks of Ebola thus
far have occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa such as Uganda and the Democratic Republic
of the Congo.
Signs, Symptoms, and Diagnosis
The CDC has listed on their website symptoms of Ebola including fever, headache,
muscle pain, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and unexplained bruising
and bleeding. Symptoms may appear from 2 to 21 days after exposure. After flu-like
symptoms appear, infection continues to other organs such as the brain, kidney, and
intestines leading to third spacing, shock, and hemorrhagic findings.
In general, transmission is by similar routes as HIV bodily fluids, needle sharing, and
infected animals. However, there has been no evidence of sexual transmission of
Ebola even when RNA levels are detected in the semen (cdc.gov). The virus is not
transmitted through air or water. Obviously, due to lack of patients, studies have
been limited in this field. Click here for more information on transmission from the
CDC.
Ebola is detectable through measuring RNA blood levels, which are near threshold or
low when symptoms and fever first develop making it difficult and unreliable to have
a positive test before fever. Symptoms of Ebola are also very nonspecific, which
makes early diagnosis difficult.
It should be no surprise that for testing, ELISA method and PCR are used. (Couldnt
hurt to brush up on these methods hereand here.
Treatment
Supportive care. Currently, several companies are working to develop a vaccine. One
product called ZMapp that may enter Phase 1 drug testing soon uses monoclonal
antibodies for treatment (it was already used on two Americans). Serum from
survivors might be used because of the formed antibodies that might be key to fight
the infection.
Prophylaxis
Isolation from infected individuals. Interestingly enough, about a year ago, some
studies showed in mice that Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs) like
clomiphene may prevent the viral fusion of the Ebola virus. (Heres the article for
your ID pimp sessions.)

Practice Case:
A 42-year-old Ugandan patient with a 4-day history of fever, maculopapular rash,
elevated liver enzymes, and thrombocytopenia is found to have positive serological
studies indicating Ebola infection. After analysis of the RNA genome, the virus is
found to have a point mutation when compared to another patient that was isolated
in another region of Uganda. What genetic phenomenon mostly likely occurred that
may lead to a future epidemic?
a. Genetic shift
b. Genetic drift
c. Reassortment
d. Phenotypic mixing
e. Specialized Transduction