The World Health Organization has declared a public health emergency over a rare strain of Ebola known as Bundibugyo. Most cases have been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, with more than 100 suspected deaths and nearly 400 suspected infections.
Bundibugyo is named after the Ugandan province where it was first identified in 2007. It kills 30 to 40 percent of infected people, making it less lethal than the Zaire strain, which has a mortality rate of up to 90 percent. All Ebola viruses spread through direct contact with infected bodily fluids.
There are no approved vaccines or treatments specifically for Bundibugyo. Potential candidates include Merck's Ervebo and Mapp Biopharmaceutical's MBP 134. NanoViricides says its experimental drug NV-387 could be effective by mimicking immune cell surface proteins. An mRNA vaccine from China has shown promise in mice but hasn't reached primate trials.
Diagnostic challenges have hampered response efforts. Standard tests initially failed to detect Bundibugyo, leading to false negatives and delayed response. Health officials now emphasize rapid case detection, isolation, and contact tracing to control the outbreak.