Ebola

            This virus is one of the most lethal and horrific viruses known to civilization. Ebola hemorrhagic fever is severe, often fatal and it affects monkeys, apes and humans. The Ebola virus is a member of a family of RNA viruses known as filovirus (genus Filoviridae). When magnified by an electron microscope, these viruses have the appearance of long string-shape, with little hook or loop at one end. There have been four identified strains of Ebola. Three of the four species of Ebola viruses identified so far have caused disease in humans. Ebola-Zaire was discovered in 1976 and was name after a river in Zaire, Africa, where it was first encountered. Ebola Sudan was discovered in Western Sudan in 1976. Ebola Tai is the most recently discovered type of Ebola virus. It was discovered in 1995 on the Ivory Coast of West Africa in the Tai forest. A Swiss researcher was the first infected human but survived the infection. Ebola Reston, a variation of Ebola virus discovered in the African monkeys imported to the United States, is not believed to cause health problems in humans but does cause affliction in monkeys. The first three species of Ebola are not transmitted by air. As the Ebola Reston is suspected to be airborne. .
             Their structures are quite comparable in shape, but have different gene sequences in places and therefore dissimilar properties. The accurate location or origin of Ebola virus is still at this time unknown. Because the natural habitat (reservoir) of the virus is undiscovered, the nature in which the virus first appears in a manlike host has not been determined. However, researchers have theorized that the first patient becomes infected through interaction with an infected animal. Collection of animal specimens is currently underway to determine this. The conceivable species in tropical Africa are so diverse that a long and fortunate search is likely to be required.
             The symptoms and signs of Ebola hemorrhagic fever are not identical for all patients.