Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) (EBOV)

Ebola virus (EBOV), specifically the Zaire ebolavirus species, is a member of the Filoviridae family and the causative agent of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), a severe and often fatal hemorrhagic fever (WHO, 2023). The virus is an enveloped, non-segmented, negative-strand RNA virus that targets various host cells, including monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells, leading to a systemic inflammatory response and impaired coagulation (CDC, 2021). Its genome encodes seven primary proteins, with the glycoprotein (GP) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (L) being the primary targets for therapeutic intervention (UniProt, 2023). GP mediates viral attachment, fusion, and entry into host cells via the NPC1 receptor, while the L protein is responsible for genome replication and transcription (Kuhn et al., 2019). Modern therapeutics like Inmazeb (a cocktail of three monoclonal antibodies) and Ebanga (ansuvimab-zykl) work by neutralizing the GP, effectively blocking the virus's ability to infect new cells (FDA, 2020). Despite these advances, the high pathogenicity and potential for rapid transmission make EBOV a significant global health threat.

Other names

Ebola virusEBOVZaire Ebola virusEbola hemorrhagic fever virus

Therapeutic agents targeting Ebola virus primarily function through two mechanisms: 1) Monoclonal antibodies (e.g., Atoltivimab, Maftivimab, Odesivimab, and Ansuvimab) bind to the viral surface glycoprotein (GP), neutralizing the virus by preventing its attachment and fusion with host cell membranes (FDA, 2020). 2) Nucleoside/nucleotide analogs (e.g., Remdesivir, Favipiravir) act as chain terminators or mutagens that inhibit the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (L protein), thereby halting viral genome replication and transcription (Kuhn et al., 2019).