Ebola

Ebola haemorrhagic fever is a rare but severe disease in humans and non-human primates caused by Ebola virus, a filovirus that was first recognised in 1976 and has caused sporadic outbreaks since in several African countries.

 

There are five distinct serotypes of Ebola virus, of which four have caused disease in humans: Ebola Zaïre, Ebola Sudan, Ebola Côte d’Ivoire, and Ebola Bundibugyo. Ebola Reston has caused disease in non-human primates, and recently in pigs, but not in humans. No imported case of Ebola haemorrhagic fever has ever occurred in the UK.

Known outbreaks/cases in 2008/2009:

Confirmed outbreak in DR Congo (Kasai Occidental province) ended February 2009

Bundibugyo District, western Uganda, Nov 07-Feb 08