revisiting Ebola and Marburg

I wrote a feature about Ebola Virus Disease three years ago, when the largest Ebola epidemic so far was still happening in West Africa. I recently came across a structural study of the Ebola virus capsid and so I thought it would be a good time to revisit this disease and see how the experience from the 2014 epidemic and progress in fundamental science can help to avert or at least manage further epidemics.

As an alumnus of Marburg University, I also had to mention Ebola's closest relative, which is known as, you guessed it, Marburg virus, as it was discovered in that town.

Read all about these viruses in my feature which is out now:


Preparing for the next Ebola epidemic

Current Biology Volume 28, Issue 2, pR51–R54, 22 January 2018


FREE access to full text and PDF download





Have a photo of Marburg town, much nicer than the eponymous virus. (own photo, taken 2013).