HEMORRHAGIC FEVER VIRUSES

 

INTRODUCTION:  Bundibugyo ebolavirus belongs to genus Ebola virus which has other four species including; Zaire Ebolavirus( ZEBOV / EBOV); Taï Forest ebolavirus (formerly Côte d'Ivoire ebolavirus, CIEBOV / TAFV,) and Reston ebolavirus (REBOV / RESTV), Sudan ebola virus (SUDV / SEBOV).  Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BEBOV / BDBV)is one of the four ebolavirus that cause Ebola virus disease in human. It was first described in 2008 in Bundibugyo District. During 2007-2008, Bundibugyo ebola virus totally infected 116 human and 39 deaths. The mortality rate was 34%, which is lower than Zaire ebolavirus and Sudan ebolavirus.  

Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV) made its first appearance on August 1 of 2007, when a viral hemorrhagic fever outbreak began in the Bundibugyo and Kikyo townships of Bundibugyo District in western Uganda. Blood samples from suspect cases were sent to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where the presence of an ebolavirus was confirmed on November 29, 2007. In depth analysis revealed that the present ebolavirus was a relative, but not identical, to the other four ebolaviruses known at the time. The outbreak was declared over on February 20, 2008.  A second outbreak was reported by the WHO August 17, 2012 suspected to have infected 15 and killed 10 including 3 health care workers in Isiro, Pawa and Dungu, Province Orientale, DRC.  2 of the cases have been confirmed to be Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV). It is reported that bushmeat was the source. By Sept 3, the WHO reported that the number of cases had risen to 28, with 8 confirmed, 6 probable and 14 suspected, including 14 deaths, and as of 12 September, it had spread to Viadana and a total of 41 cases (9 laboratory confirmed, and 32 probable) have been reported from Haut-Uélé district in Province Orientale. Of these cases, 18 have been fatal. (5 confirmed and 13 probable). 18 healthcare workers are included among the probable cases. 28 suspected cases have also been reported and are being investigated. In a press release, the Democratic Republic of Congo announced a final tally of 77 cases (36 confirmed, 17 probable and 24 suspects) with 36 deaths.

[Source:  CDC factsheet]

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4.  REFERENCES