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Ebolavirus and Marburgvirus: Insight the Filoviridae family

2007; Elsevier BV; Volume: 29; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.mam.2007.09.005

1872-9452

Paolo Ascenzi, Alessio Bocedi, J Heptonstall, Maria Rosaria Capobianchi, Antonino Di, Eloise Mastrangelo, Martino Bolognesi, Giuseppe Ippolito,

Disaster Response and Management

Ebolavirus and Marburgvirus (belonging to the Filoviridae family) emerged four decades ago and cause epidemics of haemorrhagic fever with high case-fatality rates. The genome of filoviruses encodes seven proteins. No significant homology is observed between filovirus proteins and any known macromolecule. Moreover, Marburgvirus and Ebolavirus show significant differences in protein homology. The natural maintenance cycle of filoviruses is unknown, the natural reservoir, the mode of transmission, the epidemic disease generation, and temporal dynamics are unclear. Lastly, Ebolavirus and Marburgvirus are considered as potential biological weapons. Vaccine appears the unique therapeutic frontier. Here, molecular and clinical aspects of filoviral haemorrhagic fevers are summarized.