Ebola strain in Congo-Uganda outbreak has no vaccine or treatment, causes often deadly symptoms

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda has sparked concern among global health officials due to the detection of a less common strain of the virus. As of May 19, suspected cases have risen to over 500, with at least 131 deaths reported in Congo.

One American doctor working with a missionary group in Congo has tested positive for the virus, and several others are believed to have been exposed. The specific strain identified in this outbreak is the Bundibugyo virus, which is only the third known outbreak of this particular strain. Unfortunately, there are currently no vaccines or treatments available for this strain.

Ebola disease is caused by orthoebolaviruses, with multiple species known to cause outbreaks. The three main viruses responsible for large Ebola outbreaks are the Zaire virus, Sudan virus, and the Bundibugyo virus. The only approved vaccine and treatments are designed for the Zaire strain, making it difficult to combat the Bundibugyo virus in this current outbreak.

While there are other vaccines in development, none are close to being ready for use against the Bundibugyo virus. Merck, the manufacturer of the approved vaccine for the Zaire virus, has confirmed that their vaccine is not effective against the Bundibugyo strain.

Prior to this outbreak, there were two smaller outbreaks caused by the Bundibugyo virus in Uganda in 2007 and Congo in 2012. With limited data on the behavior of this strain compared to the Zaire virus, the current outbreak presents unique challenges for health officials.

Symptoms of the Bundibugyo virus disease include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, rash, organ dysfunction, and internal or external bleeding. The fatality rate of Bundibugyo virus disease is estimated to be around 30 to 50%, lower than that of the Zaire strain.

Early intensive supportive care, including rehydration and treatment of specific symptoms, can improve survival rates for those infected with the Bundibugyo virus. Seeking early medical care is crucial in potentially saving lives during an outbreak.

Edited by Stephen Smith

For more information on this topic, you can visit the WHO website.