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Open Access 01-12-2016 | Review

Understanding Ebola: the 2014 epidemic

Authors: Jolie Kaner, Sarah Schaack

Published in: Globalization and Health | Issue 1/2016

Abstract

Near the end of 2013, an outbreak of Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) began in Guinea, subsequently spreading to neighboring Liberia and Sierra Leone. As this epidemic grew, important public health questions emerged about how and why this outbreak was so different from previous episodes. This review provides a synthetic synopsis of the 2014–15 outbreak, with the aim of understanding its unprecedented spread. We present a summary of the history of previous epidemics, describe the structure and genetics of the ebolavirus, and review our current understanding of viral vectors and the latest treatment practices. We conclude with an analysis of the public health challenges epidemic responders faced and some of the lessons that could be applied to future outbreaks of Ebola or other viruses.

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Title: Understanding Ebola: the 2014 epidemic
Authors: Jolie Kaner
Sarah Schaack
Publication date: 01-12-2016
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: Globalization and Health / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 1744-8603
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-016-0194-4

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