Pathogenicity and Virulence of Ebolaviruses with Species- and Variant-specificity

• Main Authors: Satoko Yamaoka, Hideki Ebihara
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2021-01-01
• Series: Virulence
• Subjects: ebola virus; sudan virus; bundibugyo virus; taï forest virus; reston virus; virulence; case fatality rates
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21505594.2021.1898169

Ebola virus (EBOV), belonging to the species Zaire ebolavirus in the genus Ebolavirus, causes a severe febrile illness in humans with case fatality rates (CFRs) up to 90%. While there have been six virus species classified, which each have a single type virus in the genus Ebolavirus, CFRs of ebolavirus infections vary among viruses belonging to each distinct species. In this review, we aim to define the ebolavirus species-specific virulence on the basis of currently available laboratory and experimental findings. In addition, this review will also cover the variant-specific virulence of EBOV by referring to the unique biological and pathogenic characteristics of EBOV variant Makona, a new EBOV variant isolated from the 2013–2016 EBOV disease outbreak in West Africa. A better definition of species-specific and variant-specific virulence of ebolaviruses will facilitate our comprehensive knowledge on genus Ebolavirus biology, leading to the development of therapeutics against well-focused pathogenic mechanisms of each Ebola disease.