Five questions about the virus that still frightens the world

 The image shows staff from Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF) transporting the body of a deceased person at an Ebola treatment centre.

ImageAFP/Getty Images

Ebola is once again causing concern in Africa

Ebola is once again causing concern in Africa. A major outbreak – caused by the Bundibugyo virus – is currently ongoing in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and has also spread to Uganda. At the same time, researchers and healthcare professionals are working intensively to contain the outbreak and develop better methods for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

What makes the Ebola virus so dangerous compared with many other viruses?

“Ebola causes a ‘typical’ flu-like illness and diarrhoea, often accompanied by high fever and severe aches and pains. What makes the virus particularly dangerous, however, is that it also attacks blood vessels in various organs, leading to the characteristic bleeding from body openings that is often seen in images of Ebola patients, as well as tissue and organ damage.”

What are the biggest challenges for healthcare systems when trying to stop an Ebola outbreak?

“The first challenge is providing the intensive care needed by those who become seriously ill. The second is preventing further transmission, including protecting healthcare workers themselves from infection.”

Niklas Arnberg is professor of virology at the Department of Clinical Microbiology at Umeå Univeristy.

ImageMattias Pettersson

How great is the risk that an outbreak in Central Africa could spread to Europe or Sweden?

“The risk is very low. There may be occasional imported cases, but I consider the risk of sustained person-to-person transmission in Sweden to be extremely small.”

What progress has research made in recent years regarding Ebola vaccines and treatments?

“Vaccines have been developed against all Ebola virus species except the one currently spreading in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. Efforts are now underway to develop a vaccine against the current Bundibugyo variant as well.”

What questions does research still need to answer to better prevent future Ebola outbreaks?

“Following the experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world is better prepared to deal with new Ebola outbreaks. However, we still lack effective antiviral drugs, which highlights the importance of continued basic research. Greater knowledge about Ebola viruses can lead to improved diagnostics, new treatments, and even more effective vaccines.”