title: Emergence of divergent Zaire ebola virus strains in Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2007 and 2008.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Zaire ebolavirus was responsible for 2 outbreaks in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in 1976 and 1995. The virus reemerged in DRC 12 years later, causing 2 successive outbreaks in the Luebo region, Kasai Occidental province, in 2007 and 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  Viruses of each outbreak were isolated and the full-length genomes were characterized. Phylogenetic analysis was then undertaken to characterize the relationships with previously described viruses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 2 Luebo viruses are nearly identical but are not related to lineage A viruses known in DRC or to descendants of the lineage B viruses encountered in the Gabon-Republic of the Congo area, with which they do, however, share a common ancestor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings strongly suggest that the Luebo 2007 outbreak did not result from viral spread from previously identified foci but from an independent viral emergence. The previously identified epidemiological link with migratory bat species known to carry Zaire ebolavirus RNA support the hypothesis of viral spillover from this widely dispersed reservoir. The high level of similarity between the Luebo2007 and Luebo2008 viruses suggests that local wildlife populations (most likely bats) became infected and allowed local viral persistence and reemergence from year to year.
authors: Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Gabon. gildagrard@gmail.com
authors: Gilda
authors: G
authors: Grard
authors: Roman
authors: R
authors: Biek
authors: Jean-Jacques Muyembe
authors: JJ
authors: Tamfum
authors: Joseph
authors: J
authors: Fair
authors: Nathan
authors: N
authors: Wolfe
authors: Pierre
authors: P
authors: Formenty
authors: Janusz
authors: J
authors: Paweska
authors: Eric
authors: E
authors: Leroy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000821:virology*; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo / Q000453:epidemiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D029043:Ebolavirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016679:Genome, Viral; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny