Ebola Virus Disease News and Research

Latest Ebola Virus Disease News and Research

Researchers decipher key component behind rising epidemic of pathogens in West Africa

A research team from several institutions being led by the University of California San Diego has deciphered a key component behind a rising epidemic of pathogens that the World Health Organization (WHO) recently added to its list of critical emerging diseases.

13 Jul 2018

Georgia State professor receives federal grant to study virus similar to Ebola virus

Dr. Christopher Basler, a professor in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University, director of the university's Center for Microbial Pathogenesis and a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in Microbial Pathogenesis, has received a two-year, $419,100 federal grant to study a virus similar to Ebola virus that causes disease in animals but not in humans.

12 Jul 2018

Targeting proteins in semen could prevent sexually transmitted spread of Ebola virus

Protein fragments, called amyloid fibrils, in human semen significantly increase Ebola virus infection and protect the virus against harsh environmental conditions such as heat and dehydration. Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania report these findings in a study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

26 Jun 2018

Study shows how to slow down spread of Ebola virus

Between 2013 and 2016, West Africa suffered the most severe outbreak of Ebola ever recorded. In Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, a total of 29,000 patients were diagnosed with the disease. More than 11,000 people didn't survive.

12 Jun 2018

Data from past epidemic could help improve response to future Ebola outbreaks

Data from the 2014 Ebola virus outbreak at two Sierra Leone facilities reveal daily usage rates for disinfectant and personal protective equipment, informing future outbreaks, according to a study published May 24, 2018 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Michaela Mallow of International Medical Corps in Los Angeles, CA, and colleagues.

25 May 2018

NIH commences first-in-human trial evaluating experimental treatment for Ebola

A first-in-human trial evaluating an experimental treatment for Ebola virus disease has begun at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

24 May 2018

Researchers create new modeling framework that takes a zoonotic perspective on Ebola

Javier Buceta, associate professor of bioengineering, Paolo Bocchini, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, and postdoctoral student Graziano Fiorillo of Lehigh University have created a modeling framework that takes a zoonotic perspective on Ebola.

23 May 2018

Congo to start vaccinating populations against Ebola today to combat outbreak

Congo is facing a new Ebola outbreak and the health officials have announced that starting today, (Monday 21st May 2018), response teams would begin administering an experimental Ebola vaccine in Mbandaka.

21 May 2018

Experts available to discuss subjects related to Ebola virus

Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) professors offer expertise for journalists seeking interviews in a variety of subjects related to Ebola.

18 May 2018

Ebola outbreak spreads to Congo city of 1 million

There has been a confirmed case of Ebola in the Mbandaka city of Congo that has a population of 1.2 million. This is the first urban case in the latest outbreak and is being considered to be one of the most serious ones in recent times. The last major outbreaks have affected people across West Africa between 2014 and 2016.

18 May 2018

Study provides new clues to how Ebola virus causes damage in the retina

A new study, conducted by the researchers from the University of Liverpool, published in JAMA Ophthalmology identifies the specific characteristics of Ebola retinal lesions, which provide further clues as to how the virus travels to the retina and causes damage.

15 May 2018

Mass vaccinations are not realistic option to prevent Ebolavirus outbreaks, study shows

Prophylactic mass vaccination programs are not a realistic option in the battle to prevent new Ebolavirus outbreaks, a University of Kent-led research team has shown.

9 May 2018

Mutations in EBOV-Makona do not alter disease-causing ability in animal models, shows study

Early during the recent Ebola epidemic in West Africa, scientists speculated that the genetic diversity of the circulating Makona strain of virus (EBOV-Makona) would result in more severe disease and more transmissibility than prior strains.

9 May 2018

4 takeaways from Trump’s plan to rescind CHIP funding

President Donald Trump wants to employ a rarely used budget maneuver called "rescission" to eliminate $15 billion in federal spending, including $7 billion from the popular Children's Health Insurance Program.

9 May 2018

Fresh Ebola outbreak in Congo reported

Yesterday (8th May 2018), the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared a new outbreak of Ebola in the rural northwest of the country. This came after two cases of Ebola were confirmed in regions of Bikoro.

9 May 2018

Repurposing existing antiviral drugs for multiple infections

Zika virus. Ebola virus. Influenza. SARS and MERS corona viruses. Existing and emerging viral diseases are an increasing problem, particularly in developing countries. The World Health Organization has called for better control of viral diseases, but developing drugs for this purpose can be challenging.

25 Apr 2018