A National Institutes of Health report reveals the 1976 Ebola strain has proven to be more harmful than the current West Africa outbreak strain. Scientists have found the current outbreak to have a decreased ability to cause disease in their animal model compared to the 1976 strain isolated in Central Africa.
Here are five key facts:
1. The report found the Makona strain of Ebola virus in West Africa for the past year to take nearly two additional days to cause terminal disease in an animal model compared to the 1976 Mayinga strain in Central Africa.
2. Researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases infected three animals with the 1976 EBOV-Mayinga and three different animals with the 2014 EBOV-Makona.
3. Animals infected with the Mayina strain developed a rash four days post-injection and became extremely six within five to six days. Those in the Makona group developed a rash six days after infection and become ill day seven or eight.
4. Studies concluded liver damage was delayed by approximately two days in the Makona group compared to the Mayinga group.
5. Animals in the Makona group produced approximately three times the amount of a virus-fighting protein, interferon gamma, compared to the Mayinga animal group.
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