preprints.org > medicine and pharmacology > immunology and allergy > doi: 10.20944/preprints202307.0695.v2

Preprint Review Version 2 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Version 1 : Received: 8 July 2023 / Approved: 11 July 2023 / Online: 11 July 2023 (08:39:25 CEST)
Version 2 : Received: 9 September 2023 / Approved: 11 September 2023 / Online: 12 September 2023 (02:40:32 CEST)

Ebola virus is a zoonotic virus comprised of 6 different species designated within the family Filoviridae and genus Ebolavirus. The first recorded outbreak of an Ebola virus (EBOV) was in Yambuku, Zaire (ZEBOV) in 1976, followed by Sudan Ebola virus (SUBOV) later that year. Outbreaks have been increasing throughout the 21st century, and mortality rates can reach up to 90%. Such extraordinary virulence is evidenced with few pathogens, similarly with Marburg virus (MARV) that originated in Uganda and was first detected in Germany in 1967. The virulent nature of filovirus disease has established these related viruses as a formidable global concern. There are currently four types of Ebolaviridae species known to infect humans, with two more recently identified in other animals that are genomically different with respect to cellular pathogenesis or aetiology of disease. Recent advances into understanding the pathogenesis of filovirus disease infections have been remarkable, yet the immunological response to filovirus infection remains unknown. Scientific analysis of cellular mechanisms can provide insight into virulence factors utilised by other pathogenic viruses that also cause febrile illness with occasional haemorrhagic fever in humans. In this review, we aim to provide a brief summary of EBOV proteins and the role of innate and adaptive immune cells known since 2000. We will consider the relevance and implications of immunological proteins measured by CD marker, alongside cytokine, chemokine and other biologically relevant pathways, as well as genetic research. Thorough understanding of immunological correlates affecting host responses to Ebola viruses will facilitate both clinical and applied research knowledge, contributing towards protection against potential public health threats.

Adaptive; Ebola; Filoviridae; Immunology; Innate; Molecular

Medicine and Pharmacology, Immunology and Allergy

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