The correct spelling of the virus commonly known as Reston Ebola virus is /rɛstən əˈboʊlə/. The word "Reston" refers to the city in Virginia where the virus was first discovered in 1989 in a shipment of monkeys from the Philippines. The word "Ebola" comes from the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the virus was first identified in 1976. The correct spelling of the virus is important for accurate communication and understanding of the disease.
Reston Ebola virus refers to a strain of the Ebola virus that was first identified in Reston, Virginia, United States in 1989. It belongs to the genus Ebolavirus and the family Filoviridae. The Reston Ebola virus is one of several known Ebola virus species that can cause severe and often fatal hemorrhagic fever in humans and nonhuman primates.
This particular strain of Ebola virus is named after the location where it was discovered, Reston. It was first detected in a group of cynomolgus monkeys that were imported from the Philippines for medical research purposes. Although the Reston Ebola virus is highly pathogenic to nonhuman primates, including monkeys, it does not cause illness in humans.
Unlike other Ebola virus species, such as Zaire Ebola virus or Sudan Ebola virus, the Reston Ebola virus has not been known to cause any outbreaks or cases of illness in humans. Nevertheless, it poses a significant public health concern due to its potential to cause disease in primates and the possibility of mutation leading to human infectivity.
The study and understanding of the Reston Ebola virus are critical for the surveillance and prevention of potential outbreaks. Ongoing research on this strain of the Ebola virus aims to elucidate the factors contributing to its lack of human pathogenicity and to enhance preparedness and control measures against Ebola virus infections in general.