Abstract
Characteristics of the family Filoviridae and the Ebola virus: an update of its implications in the human population
The family Filoviridae is integrated by a group of filamentous RNA viruses that cause severe hemorrhagic fevers in primates and other mammals, including humans, mainly in the African continent. Ebolavirus, arburgrvirus and Lloviu cuevavirus are the members of this family, and their main reservoirs are bats from the family Pteropodidae. The present review describes the main characteristics of the Filoviruses, pathophysiology and epidemiology on the human population, with a focus on the Ebolavirus, a pathogen of great epidemiological importance responsible for the death of 13 293 people since 1976. The Ebola outbreak of 2014-2016 was the largest in history, with 28 652 cases, representing more than 90% of the total number of cases reported since the origin of the disease (31 685). The transmission of the virus between humans can happen directly, through ontaminated fluids, or indirectly, by parenteral transmission and fomites. The incubation period ranges from 2 to 21 days and the symptomatology is divided in four phases: a febrile phase with nonspecific symptoms, a phase characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms, and two with the presence of critical symptoms. Although there is no specific treatment for the Ebola virus disease, the development of potential vaccines is currently underway, and some have showed positive results in animal models. This could lead to the appearance of an effective treatment that increases the survival of infected patients, and better epidemiological control.
