Researchers claim the Ebola virus disease (EVD) is rapidly and continually mutating, making it harder to diagnose and treat.
A study of the initial patients diagnosed with the virus in Sierra Leone revealed almost 400 genetic modifications that could be detrimental not only to current treatments, but also to future vaccines that are in the works.
Researchers at the Broad Institute in Massachusetts and Harvard University claim the Ebola virus (transmission electron micrograph image shown) is mutating rapidly.
The findings show it is becoming more difficult to diagnose and treat.
Future vaccines could also be less effective as mutations continue.
The team of researchers analysed more than 99 Ebola virus genomes.
Since the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease early this year in West Africa, at least 1,500 deaths have been recorded.
On August 24, a strain of the virus different from that in West Africa was detected on the Democratic Republic of Congo, posing more threat in handling the virus.
The World Health Organization have supported the use of untested drugs for the treatment of patients and had
On Thursday, the U.N. health agency said, said the Ebola outbreak in West Africa could infect over 20,000 people and spread to more countries, warning that an international effort costing almost half a billion dollars is needed to overcome the outbreak.
The WHO announced a $490 million strategic plan to contain the epidemic over the next nine months, saying it was based on a projection that the virus could spread to 10 further countries beyond the four major countries now affected – Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.
