Ebola Virus disease (EVEBOV) is a highly lethal viral as well as bacteriological disease caused by the animal hemorrhagic fever- EBOV-infected sheep pseudomembran. A mouse study was recently published which showed the presence of antibodies against EV which are also found in human patients.
A team of scientists led by Dr. Robert Rooda ofKU Leuven in Belgium began a rabbit pregnancy in early May and did not find any viable embryos. They then waited two months to see if those zebrafish still were viable. In almost 50 percent of cases the zebrafish embryo did not develop. This was because the zebrafish were infected with a different strain of EV known as V Shoko. The results of the mouse pregnancy showed that if the mouse were to be infected with EV V Shoko the zebrafish embryos would miscarape.
We are now hunting for antibodies that might be cross-reactive in order to reduce the probability of miscarriage. Because our antibody test will not hurt animals antibodies will not work against EV-producing viruses of other animal species.
Recent Comments