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Review
. 2016 Sep 13;12(1):53.
doi: 10.1186/s12992-016-0194-4.

Understanding Ebola: the 2014 epidemic

Jolie Kaner  1   2 , Sarah Schaack  3
Affiliations
Review

Understanding Ebola: the 2014 epidemic

Jolie Kaner et al. Global Health. .

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.

Keywords: 2014 outbreak; Ebola; Ebolavirus; Epidemic; Review.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Average R0s for common epidemic diseases, including Ebola, at the height of the 2014 epidemic [, –67]
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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