Ebola virus disease is the most threatening epidemics that has evolved recently. The whole world is under the fear of its spread and is trying to equip them for its prevention. The causative virus belongs to the family Filoviridae. The characters like transmission, hosts, genetic makeup, virology and natural agents regarding this family are comparatively known very less to common man. Certain normal precautions are suggested in caring and treating the affected patients.

 History

Ebola River; it’s from this river; the name Ebola virus was derived. The first Ebola outbreak was reported from the Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly called Zaire, which lies in the close immediacy with the Ebola River. Marburg is the virus that had stumbled upon for the first time in 1967. The technicians of a laboratory were hospitalized due to a strange and rigorous disease in Germany. The general practitioner, who were treating these cases, soon identified the important source of the disease through thorough research. Green monkeys imported for research and production of vaccine from Africa were identified as the source.

These monkeys had also been transported to Frankfurt, Yugoslavia, etc., but the disease was found to be present only in 31 humans. Certain health care workers and closely contacted family members also showed similar symptoms. However, the weird appearance of the viral particles, increasing mortality among humans and the difficulty in identifying the past of the virus, created a chaotic situation among people. Preventive methods were introduced in some places to control the re-occurrence of the disease and the Marburg virus was kept out from vaccine preparation. About 3 of the humans were found to contract the disease once again, as they travelled to the country sides of Africa.