What is Ebola?

Ebola virus disease is a severe, often fatal viral haemorrhagic fever caused by ebolaviruses (family Filoviridae), with fruit bats the likely reservoir.

Spread is by direct contact with infected body fluids. Recombinant Ebola glycoprotein (GP), VP40 and nucleoprotein antigens plus antibody assays support diagnostics, serosurveillance and vaccine research.

Transmission & symptoms

Ebolaviruses cause severe viral haemorrhagic fever and spread through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of infected people or animals; fruit bats are the probable reservoir. Disease features high fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, coagulopathy and high case-fatality.

Diagnosis & serology

Diagnosis in acute disease relies on molecular and antigen detection of the viral glycoprotein (GP) and nucleoprotein; anti-Ebola IgM/IgG serology supports convalescent and serosurveillance studies. Recombinant GP is central to both diagnostics and vaccine work.

Research applications

Research tools cover the Ebola entry pathway — the intracellular receptor NPC1, TAM receptors (AXL) and TIM-1/HAVCR1 attachment factors, and DC-SIGN — alongside host inflammatory and coagulation responses that drive severe disease.