Ebola Virus Anatomy Vector Illustration

The Ebola virus is a highly infectious and often deadly virus that causes severe illness in humans and other primates. It belongs to the family Filoviridae and was first identified in 1976 in simultaneous outbreaks in Nzara, South Sudan, and Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo. There are five known species of Ebola virus, four of which cause disease in humans: Ebola virus (Zaire ebolavirus), Sudan virus (Sudan ebolavirus), Bundibugyo virus (Bundibugyo ebolavirus), and Taï Forest virus (Taï Forest ebolavirus). The fifth species, Reston virus (Reston ebolavirus), has caused illness in nonhuman primates but has not been known to cause illness in humans.