This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing theresources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject andinvestigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source,and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed isfor the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator.Ebola virus is a member of the family Filoviridae and causes severe hemorrhagic fevers in humans and nonhuman primates. It is an emerging virus and outbreaks have been reported periodically at 2-10 year intervals since its initial identification in 1976. It is a CDC Category A agent and is one of the most widely publicized human viruses, In the wild, infections initiate from contact of people with dead or dying virus-infected forestanimals such as chimpanzees, forest antelope and porcupines that have been regularly found on the rainforest floor in affected areas. The Zaire strain is most often associated with outbreaks with very high mortality rates, on average between 80 to 90%. Apart from palliative measures, there is no effective treatment for the disease. The objective of the current protocol is to generate Ebola reactive antiserum for use in detection assays, as well as generate material for the generation of recombinant antibodies. This project will use animals identified that have been selected for reproductive culls thus maximizing nonhuman primate resources. Successful completion of this study will result in Ebola reactive polyclonal serum which can be used in diagnostics as well as splenic RNA that can be used to generated recombinant antibodies.
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