Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Ebola Zaire virus
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Ebola virus can be classified into 5 subtypes: Zaïre, Sudan, Reston, Tai (Ivory Coast) and Bundibugyo, according to the place of discovery.
Classification
Classification
The table below summarizes the ebola virus strains identified until now:
| Ebola Virus Strain | Place of Discovery | Date Identified |
|---|---|---|
| Sudan ebolavirus | Nzara and Maridi, Sudan | Between June and November 1976 |
| Zaire ebolavirus | Yambuku, Democratic Republic of the Congo | Between August and November 1976 |
| Reston ebolavirus | Reston, Virginia, US. | November 1989 |
| Ivory Coast ebolavirus | Tai Forest, Ivory Coast. | November 1994 |
| Bundibugyo ebolavirus | Bundibugyo District, Uganda | November 2007 |
Zaïre Ebolavirus
- Among the five strains, Zaïre Ebolavirus carries the highest mortality rate.
- A virus of the genus Ebolavirus is considered member of the species Zaire ebolavirus if:[1]
- It is found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, or the Republic of the Congo.
- It has a genome with two or three gene overlaps (VP35/VP40, GP/VP30, VP24/L).
- It has a genomic sequence that differs from the virus type by less than 30%.
Sudan Ebolavirus
- A virus of the genus Ebolavirus is considered member of the species Sudan ebolavirus if:[1]
Reston Ebolavirus
- A virus of the genus Ebolavirus is considered member of the species Reston ebolavirus if:[1]
- If its genome diverges from that of the prototype Reston virus, the Reston virus variant Pennsylvania, by ≤10% at the nucleotide level.
Tai (Ivory Coast) Ebolavirus
- A virus of the genus Ebolavirus is considered member of the species Tai Forest ebolavirus if:[1]
Bundibugyo Ebolavirus
- A virus of the genus Ebolavirus is considered member of the species Bundibugyo ebolavirus if:[1]
- It is endemic in Uganda.
- It has a genome with three gene overlaps (VP35/VP40, GP/VP30, VP24/L).
- It has a genomic sequence different from Ebola virus by ≥30%, but different from that of Bundibugyo virus by <30%.
References
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Kuhn, Jens H.; Becker, Stephan; Ebihara, Hideki; Geisbert, Thomas W.; Johnson, Karl M.; Kawaoka, Yoshihiro; Lipkin, W. Ian; Negredo, Ana I.; Netesov, Sergey V.; Nichol, Stuart T.; Palacios, Gustavo; Peters, Clarence J.; Tenorio, Antonio; Volchkov, Viktor E.; Jahrling, Peter B. (2010). “Proposal for a revised taxonomy of the family Filoviridae: classification, names of taxa and viruses, and virus abbreviations”. Archives of Virology. 155 (12): 2083–2103. doi:10.1007/s00705-010-0814-x. ISSN 0304-8608.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Guillermo Rodriguez Nava, M.D. [2]; João André Alves Silva, M.D. [3]