The potential epidemic threat of Ebola virus and the development of a preventive vaccine

Ebola virus (EBOV) is classified as a category A pathogen as it causes viral hemorrhagic fever, one of the most-deadly virus-related diseases. Since its discovery in 1976, EBOV has caused a number of global public health incidents, which have posed a serious threat to both humans and non-human primates. Thus, numerous preventive vaccine studies are underway, including research on inactivated vaccines, DNA vaccines, subunit vaccines, virus-like particles, Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus replicon particles, and several viral vector vaccines. The vesicular stomatitis virus-based vaccine Ervebo was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration and the European Union, and several other vaccines have also been proven to confer potent protection in non-human primates against EBOV lethal challenge. This review provides a brief background of EBOV, with a focus on the epidemiology, available animal models, and advances in preventive approaches for EBOV infection.