The rare Ebola virus behind the current outbreak, explained

Bundibugyo virus is an Ebola-causing orthoebolavirus within the filovirus family, which also includes Marburg virus. Scientists recognize four orthoebolavirus species that cause disease in humans: Ebola virus, Sudan virus, Tai Forest virus, and Bundibugyo virus. Bundibugyo is relatively rare, with only two prior known outbreaks before the current one: Uganda in 2007 and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2012. Symptoms resemble those of other orthoebolaviruses and can begin with intense headache, high fever, body aches, and fatigue. Infection can have a mortality rate of up to 50 percent. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern after cases were first alerted in the DRC on May 5.

"Orthoebolaviruses are Ebola-causing members of a family of viruses called filoviruses, which also include the Marburg virus. Scientists are currently aware of four species of orthoebolavirus that cause disease in humans. These include the Ebola virus (formerly called the Zaire virus), the species responsible for the biggest and worst Ebola outbreaks, as well as the Sudan virus, the Tai Forest virus and the Bundibugyo virus."

"Compared with the Ebola virus, Bundibugyo is a relatively rare species of orthoebolavirus, says Elke Muhlberger, a professor of virology, immunology and microbiology at Boston University. Before the current outbreak, there have only been two other known outbreaks of the Bundibugyo virus: one in Uganda in 2007, when the species was first identified, and another in the DRC in 2012."

"The symptoms of an infection with the Bundibugyo virus resemble those of other orthoebolaviruses. Early on, they include an intense headache, high fever, body aches and fatigu"

"Global health officials are tracking an outbreak of Ebola caused by a rare species of orthoebolavirus called the Bundibugyo virus that has so far killed more than 130 people and infected more than 500 others, with more cases likely. First alerted to the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on May 5, the World Health Organization (WHO) has since declared it to be a public health emergency of international concern, the organization's highest formal alert. Infection with Bundibugyo has a mortality rate of up to 50 percent."

Read at www.scientificamerican.com