The speciesSudan ebolavirus is a virological taxon included in the genusEbolavirus, familyFiloviridae, orderMononegavirales. The species has a single virus member, Sudan virus (SUDV).[1] The members of the species are called Sudan ebolaviruses.[1] It was discovered in 1977 and causes Ebola clinically indistinguishable from the ebola Zaire strain, but is less transmissible than it. Unlike with ebola Zaire there is no vaccine available[2]
Sudan virus was first introduced as a new "strain" of Ebola virus in 1977.[3] Sudan virus was described as "Ebola haemorrhagic fever" in a 1978 WHO report describing the 1976 Sudan outbreak.[6]
In 2000, it received the designation Sudan Ebola virus[7][8] and in 2002 the name was changed to Sudan ebolavirus.[9][10] Previous abbreviations for the virus were EBOV-S (for Ebola virus Sudan) and most recently SEBOV (for Sudan Ebola virus or Sudan ebolavirus). The virus received its final designation in 2010, when it was renamed Sudan virus (SUDV).[1]
The ecology of SUDV is currently unclear, therefore, it remains uncertain how SUDV was repeatedly introduced into human populations. As of 2009, bats have been suspected to harbor the virus because infectious Marburg virus (MARV), a distantly related filovirus, has been isolated from bats,[11] traces (but no infectious particles) of the more closely related Ebola virus (EBOV) were found in bats as well.[12]
Scientists have hypothesize that humans initially become infected through contact with an infected animal such as a megabat or non-human primate.[13] Megabats are presumed to be a natural reservoir of the Ebola virus, but this has not been firmly established.[14] Due to the likely association between Ebola infection and "hunting, butchering and processing meat from infected animals", several West African countries banned bushmeat (including megabats) or issued warnings about it during the 2013–2016 epidemic though in this case the outbreak was due to Zaire ebolavirus.[15]
The name Sudan ebolavirus is derived from Sudan (the country in which Sudan virus was first discovered) and the taxonomicsuffixebolavirus (which denotes an ebolavirus species).[1]The species was introduced in 1998 as Sudan Ebola virus.[7][8] In 2002, the name was changed to Sudan ebolavirus.[9][10]A virus of the genus Ebolavirus is a member of the species Sudan ebolavirus if:[1]
it has a genomic sequence different from Ebola virus by ≥30% but different from that of Sudan virus by <30%
Sudan virus (SUDV) is one of six known viruses within the genusEbolavirus and one of the four that causes Ebola virus disease (EVD) in humans and other primates;it is the only member of the species Sudan ebolavirus.[16]
A virus of the species Sudan ebolavirus is a Sudan virus (SUDV) if it has the properties of Sudan ebolaviruses and if its genome diverges from that of the prototype Sudan virus, Sudan virus variant Boniface (SUDV/Bon), by ≤10% at the nucleotide level.[1]
SUDV is basically uncharacterized on a molecular level; however, its genomic sequence, and with it the genomic organization and the conservation of individual open reading frames, is similar to that of the other four known ebolaviruses. It is therefore currently assumed that the knowledge obtained for EBOV can be extrapolated to SUDV and that all SUDV proteins behave analogous to those of EBOV.[20][21]
SUDV is one of four ebolaviruses that causes Ebola virus disease (EVD) in humans (in the literature also often referred to as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, EHF). EVD due to SUDV infection cannot be differentiated from EVD caused by other ebolaviruses by clinical observation alone. The strain is less transmissible than ebola Zaire.[23]
The first known outbreak of EVD occurred due to Sudan virus in South Sudan between June and November 1976, infecting 284 people and killing 151, with the first identifiable case on 27 June 1976.[24][25][26]In the past, SUDV has caused the following EVD outbreaks:
The 2022 Uganda Ebola outbreak is a current outbreak of the Ebola virus in Mubende District, Uganda. Twenty-three people are confirmed dead due to the virus, with a total of 36 of confirmed and suspected cases.[34] Uganda has previously had four outbreaks of Sudan ebolavirus; one outbreak in 2000 and 2011 and two outbreaks in 2012, as well as an outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease in 2007 and an Ebola virus disease outbreak in 2019.[35]
The infections were decleared as an outbreak on 20 September 2022.The first cases were detected in the Mubende District among people living around a gold mine. Gold traders who move along the highway between Kampala and the Democratic Republic of the Congo may have spread it[36][37]Due to the ongoing outbreak and the fact that there is no vaccine for this strain (in contrast to Zaire ebolavirus), there is a concerted effort to bring one to market as soon as possible given the circumstances[38]
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has appealed for emergency aid to Uganda.[39] The European Union has responded to the request with €200,000 in initial, emergency funding.[40]Due to a rapid response by authorities and public cooperation, the Ugandan government indicated on 21 October that they expect the epidemic to be over by the end of 2022.[41] On 18 November 2022, there were a total of 19 healthcare workers infected with the virus[42] On 24 November, cases were reported to be in decline.[43]
On 2 December, the last individual infected with the virus was discharged from the hospital[44] On 14 December it was reported that the European Commission will send 7 million Euros to help the country in its Fight against the virus.On 20 December, all lockdowns and Ebola restrictions were lifted in the country. On 10 January, 2023 the outbreak was declared over. [45]
(during the outbreak Mubende district and Kassanda district had the most cases and fatalities[46]).
The Public Health Agency of Canada has a candidate rVSV vaccine for Sudan ebolavirus (rVSV-SUDV). Merck was developing it, but discontinued development.[47]
On 29 September , 2022 it was reported that the Ugandan government had approved an Ebola experimental vaccine trial for late October, perhaps November of this year.[48] On 1 November, 2022 three experimental Ebola vaccines were sent to Uganda per the Ministry of Health.[49]On 14 November it was reported that Remdesivir with monoclonal antibody MBP-134 were being administered to fight Sudan ebolavirus[50] The three trial vaccines for the Sudan ebolavirus are from the University of Oxford and Serum Institute of India, the Sabin Vaccine Institute and a third by Merck & Co[51][52]
ChAdOx1 biEBOV is a new vaccine that has been developed to treat both Zaire ebolavirus and Sudan ebolavirus. The new bivallent vaccine comes from Oxford Vaccine Group (40,000 doses).[53]
↑ 3.03.1Bowen, E. T. W.; Lloyd, G.; Harris, W. J.; Platt, G. S.; Baskerville, A.; Vella, E. E. (1977). "Viral haemorrhagic fever in southern Sudan and northern Zaire, Preliminary studies on the aetiological agent". Lancet. 309 (8011): 571–3. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(77)92001-3. PMID65662. S2CID3092094.
↑Qureshi, Adnan I (1 January 2016). "Chapter 3 - Ebola Virus: The Origins". Ebola Virus Disease. Academic Press. pp. 23–37. ISBN978-0-12-804230-4. Archived from the original on 9 November 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
↑"Home"(PDF). Archived from the original(PDF) on 13 October 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
↑ 7.07.1Netesov, S. V.; Feldmann, H.; Jahrling, P. B.; Klenk, H. D.; Sanchez, A. (2000). "Family Filoviridae". In van Regenmortel, M. H. V.; Fauquet, C. M.; Bishop, D. H. L.; Carstens, E. B.; Estes, M. K.; Lemon, S. M.; Maniloff, J.; Mayo, M. A.; McGeoch, D. J.; Pringle, C. R.; Wickner, R. B. (eds.). Virus Taxonomy – Seventh Report of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. San Diego, USA: Academic Press. pp. 539–48. ISBN978-0-12-370200-5.
↑ 9.09.1Feldmann, H.; Geisbert, T. W.; Jahrling, P. B.; Klenk, H.-D.; Netesov, S. V.; Peters, C. J.; Sanchez, A.; Swanepoel, R.; Volchkov, V. E. (2005). "Family Filoviridae". In Fauquet, C. M.; Mayo, M. A.; Maniloff, J.; Desselberger, U.; Ball, L. A. (eds.). Virus Taxonomy – Eighth Report of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. San Diego, USA: Elsevier/Academic Press. pp. 645–653. ISBN978-0-12-370200-5.
↑ 10.010.1Mayo, M. A. (2002). "ICTV at the Paris ICV: results of the plenary session and the binomial ballot". Archives of Virology. 147 (11): 2254–60. doi:10.1007/s007050200052. S2CID43887711.
↑Towner, J. S.; Amman, B. R.; Sealy, T. K.; Carroll, S. A. R.; Comer, J. A.; Kemp, A.; Swanepoel, R.; Paddock, C. D.; Balinandi, S.; Khristova, M. L.; Formenty, P. B.; Albarino, C. G.; Miller, D. M.; Reed, Z. D.; Kayiwa, J. T.; Mills, J. N.; Cannon, D. L.; Greer, P. W.; Byaruhanga, E.; Farnon, E. C.; Atimnedi, P.; Okware, S.; Katongole-Mbidde, E.; Downing, R.; Tappero, J. W.; Zaki, S. R.; Ksiazek, T. G.; Nichol, S. T.; Rollin, P. E. (2009). Fouchier, Ron A. M. (ed.). "Isolation of Genetically Diverse Marburg Viruses from Egyptian Fruit Bats". PLOS Pathogens. 5 (7): e1000536. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1000536. PMC2713404. PMID19649327.
↑Leroy, E. M.; Kumulungui, B.; Pourrut, X.; Rouquet, P.; Hassanin, A.; Yaba, P.; Délicat, A.; Paweska, J. T.; Gonzalez, J. P.; Swanepoel, R. (2005). "Fruit bats as reservoirs of Ebola virus". Nature. 438 (7068): 575–576. Bibcode:2005Natur.438..575L. doi:10.1038/438575a. PMID16319873. S2CID4403209.
↑Bayot, Marlon L.; King, Kevin C. (2022). "Biohazard Levels". StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. Archived from the original on 2 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
↑Okware, S. I.; Omaswa, F. G.; Zaramba, S.; Opio, A.; Lutwama, J. J.; Kamugisha, J.; Rwaguma, E. B.; Kagwa, P.; Lamunu, M. (December 2002). "An outbreak of Ebola in Uganda". Tropical Medicine and International Health. 7 (12): 1068–1075. doi:10.1046/j.1365-3156.2002.00944.x. ISSN1360-2276. Archived from the original on 1 September 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
↑Shoemaker, Trevor; MacNeil, Adam; Balinandi, Stephen; Campbell, Shelley; Wamala, Joseph Francis; McMullan, Laura K.; Downing, Robert; Lutwama, Julius; Mbidde, Edward; Ströher, Ute; Rollin, Pierre E.; Nichol, Stuart T. (2012). "Reemerging Sudan Ebola Virus Disease in Uganda, 2011". Emerging Infectious Diseases. 18 (9): 1480–1483. doi:10.3201/eid1809.111536. ISSN1080-6040. Archived from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
↑"MSF's response to CEPI's policy regarding equitable access". Médecins Sans Frontières Access Campaign. 25 September 2018. Archived from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 23 September 2022. In vaccine development, access to know how is important. Knowledge and expertise including but not limited to purification techniques, cell lines, materials, software codes and their transfer of this to alternative manufacturers in the event the awardee discontinues development of a promising vaccine is critically important. The recent example of Merck abandoning the development of rVSV vaccines for Marburg (rVSV-MARV) and for Sudan-Ebola (rVSV-SUDV) is a case in point. Merck continues to retain vital know-how on the rVSV platform as it developed the rVSV vaccine for Zaire-Ebola (rVSV-ZEBOV) with funding support from GAVI. While it has transferred the rights on these vaccines back to Public Health Agency of Canada, there is no mechanism to share know how on the rVSV platform with other vaccine developers who would like to also use rVSV as a vector against other pathogens.