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. 2014 Nov 24;6(11):4760–4799. doi: 10.3390/v6114760

Nomenclature- and Database-Compatible Names for the Two Ebola Virus Variants that Emerged in Guinea and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2014

Jens H Kuhn 1,*, Kristian G Andersen 2, Sylvain Baize 3, Yīmíng Bào 4, Sina Bavari 5, Nicolas Berthet 6, Olga Blinkova 4, J Rodney Brister 4, Anna N Clawson 1, Joseph Fair 7, Martin Gabriel 8, Robert F Garry 9, Stephen K Gire 2, Augustine Goba 10, Jean-Paul Gonzalez 11, Stephan Günther 8, Christian T Happi 12, Peter B Jahrling 1, Jimmy Kapetshi 13, Gary Kobinger 14, Jeffrey R Kugelman 5, Eric M Leroy 6, Gael Darren Maganga 6, Placide K Mbala 13, Lina M Moses 9, Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum 13, Magassouba N’Faly 15, Stuart T Nichol 16, Sunday A Omilabu 17, Gustavo Palacios 5, Daniel J Park 18, Janusz T Paweska 19, Sheli R Radoshitzky 5, Cynthia A Rossi 5, Pardis C Sabeti 2, John S Schieffelin 9, Randal J Schoepp 5, Rachel Sealfon 20, Robert Swanepoel 21, Jonathan S Towner 16, Jiro Wada 1, Nadia Wauquier 11, Nathan L Yozwiak 2,18, Pierre Formenty 22
Editor: Eric O Freed
PMCID: PMC4246247  PMID: 25421896

Abstract

In 2014, Ebola virus (EBOV) was identified as the etiological agent of a large and still expanding outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa and a much more confined EVD outbreak in Middle Africa. Epidemiological and evolutionary analyses confirmed that all cases of both outbreaks are connected to a single introduction each of EBOV into human populations and that both outbreaks are not directly connected. Coding-complete genomic sequence analyses of isolates revealed that the two outbreaks were caused by two novel EBOV variants, and initial clinical observations suggest that neither of them should be considered strains. Here we present consensus decisions on naming for both variants (West Africa: “Makona”, Middle Africa: “Lomela”) and provide database-compatible full, shortened, and abbreviated names that are in line with recently established filovirus sub-species nomenclatures.

Keywords: Ebola, Ebola virus, ebolavirus, filovirid, Filoviridae, filovirus, genome annotation, Lomela, Lokolia, Makona, mononegavirad, Mononegavirales, mononegavirus, virus classification, virus isolate, virus nomenclature, virus strain, virus taxonomy, virus variant

1. Introduction

On 10 March 2014, a viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) outbreak was reported among humans in Guinea, West Africa [1]. Ebola virus (EBOV), the sole member of the species Zaire ebolavirus (genus Ebolavirus, family Filoviridae, order Mononegavirales [2]), was identified as the etiological agent. Consequently, the VHF was identified as Ebola virus disease (EVD) [1,3,4]. At the time of writing, this EVD outbreak has spread from Guinea into Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Mali, with individual case exportations or transport of patients to France, Germany, Norway, Spain, UK, and US. At least 15351 human infections and 5459 deaths (proportion of fatal cases ≈36%) have been recorded as of 21 November 2014, making this outbreak the largest EVD outbreak in history [5]. Through conventional Sanger [1] and next-generation sequencing [6], 102 coding-complete EBOV genome sequences have been assembled (complete genome sequences with the exception of the ultimate 3’ and 5’ untranslated regions [7]) originating from three patients from Guinea and 78 patients from Sierra Leone [1,6]. Evolutionary analyses combined with epidemiological data demonstrate that all cases are directly epidemiologically linked, tracing back to a single introduction of EBOV into the human population [1,6] as has been found for most past EVD outbreaks [8].

On 24 August 2014, another EVD outbreak was reported from Boende District, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Middle Africa [9]. A total of 66 cases and 49 deaths (proportion of fatal case ≈74%) have been recorded [5]. As in Guinea, epidemiological analyses point towards a single introduction of EBOV from its unknown natural reservoir into the human population, with subsequent spread among humans by direct person-to-person transmission [9]. Thus far, two partial L (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase) gene sequences have been deposited into GenBank, and the coding-complete sequence of one isolate has been determined [9]. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the Guinea and Democratic Republic of Congo EVD outbreaks were not related. The EBOV variants causing both outbreaks were distinct from each other and from variants known from previous EVD outbreaks [1,3,4,6,9].

Next-generation sequencing techniques enable the determination of coding-complete EBOV genomes in dozens and theoretically hundreds of clinical samples in parallel in the absence of classical virus culture [6]. The rapid accumulation of sequence data challenges sequence database curators and end users when novel sequences are not uniquely named according to common standards. Here, we assign final designations to the two EBOV variants causing the 2014 Guinea and Democratic Republic of Congo EVD outbreaks and update the current GenBank sequence entries accordingly.

2. Ebola Virus Strain, Variant, and Isolate Naming

In 2013, a consortium of filovirologists and sequence database experts working at the US National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) established a consistent and prospective filovirus nomenclature below the species level [10]. This nomenclature, which already has been applied to all filovirus entries in NCBI’s RefSeq database [11], is based on the template:

<virus name>(/<strain>)/<isolation host-suffix>/<country of sampling>/<year of sampling>/<genetic variant designation>-<isolate designation>. [Note: the “/” between the <virus name> and the <isolation host-suffix> field was missing in the full name template outlined in [10], but is necessary for computational purposes. It is therefore introduced here and already implemented filovirus full names [11] will be retrospectively corrected.]

The <virus name> field should contain a filovirus name as outlined in [10]. Currently, the accepted filovirus names and abbreviations are Bundibugyo virus (BDBV), Ebola virus (EBOV), Lloviu virus (LLOV), Marburg virus (MARV), Ravn virus (RAVV), Reston virus (RESTV), Sudan virus (SUDV), and Taï Forest ebolavirus (TAFV), Table 1 [2,12].

Table 1.

Summary of the current filovirus taxonomy endorsed by the 2012–2014 ICTV Filoviridae Study Group and accepted by the ICTV [2,12,13,14,15].

Current Taxonomy and Nomenclature (Ninth ICTV Report and Updates)
Order Mononegavirales
 Family Filoviridae
  Genus Marburgvirus
   Species Marburg marburgvirus
    Virus 1: Marburg virus (MARV)
    Virus 2: Ravn virus (RAVV)
  Genus Ebolavirus
   Species Taï Forest ebolavirus
    Virus: Taï Forest virus (TAFV)
   Species Reston ebolavirus
    Virus: Reston virus (RESTV)
   Species Sudan ebolavirus
    Virus: Sudan virus (SUDV)
   Species Zaire ebolavirus
    Virus: Ebola virus (EBOV)
   Species Bundibugyo ebolavirus
    Virus: Bundibugyo virus (BDBV)
  Genus Cuevavirus
   Species Lloviu cuevavirus
    Virus: Lloviu virus (LLOV)

The <strain> field should contain a unique strain name in case the virus in question fulfills the criteria for being a strain (see [10]). The <isolation host-suffix> field should be provided in one word in the format “first letter of host genus name.full name of species descriptor” (e.g., “H.sapiens”) followed by suffix that denotes whether the sequence stems from an unpassaged sample (“-wt”), from virus isolated in tissue culture (“-tc”), or is a genomic fragment (“-frag). The <country of sampling> and <year of sampling> fields should contain the alpha-3 three-letter ISO 3166-1 code for the country where the virus was isolated and the year in which it was isolated, respectively. Finally, the <variant designation> and <isolate designation> fields should contain a unique variant name (i.e., a name for the virus variant that was introduced into the human population that caused an outbreak) and unique isolate name (i.e., the name for a particular representative of the variant), respectively [10]. To simplify manuscript writing, shortened and abbreviated virus designations are also defined [10]. For instance, the designations

full: Ebola virus/H.sapiens-tc/COD/1976/Yambuku-Ecran
shortened: EBOV/H.sap/COD/76/Yam-Ecr
abbreviated: EBOV/Yam-Ecr

specify an isolate “Ecran” of Ebola virus as a representative of the variant “Yambuku” (not a strain) that originated from a human in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1976 and was isolated/sequenced using tissue culture [16].

3. The 2014 Ebola Virus Variant Originating in Guinea

At the end of 2013, EVD broke out around Guéckédou, Kissidougou, and Macenta, Guinea [1] and consequently spread to at least five additional West African countries. Epidemiological and phylogenetic studies indicate that this large EVD outbreak was caused by a single introduction of one particular ebolavirus, Ebola virus (EBOV), into humans (Homo sapiens) from an unknown reservoir and therefore that all subsequent human cases (over 15,000 cases) are derived from one unnamed variant [1,6]. Preliminary clinical observations among EVD patients in West Africa do not contradict past descriptions of EVD [17,18,19,20,21,22], i.e., this novel unnamed EBOV variant is not a strain as defined in standardized filovirus nomenclature [10]. Here we propose the name “Makona” (IPA: [mɑ'kɔnə] or [məˈkoʊnə]; English phonetic notation: mah-kaw-nuh or muh-koh-nuh) after the Makona River close to the border between Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone (Figure 1) as the variant name for this West African virus. The general name for the 2014 West African virus is therefore:

graphic file with name viruses-06-04760-i002.jpg

Figure 1.

Figure 1

Location of the Makona River.

At the time of writing, 102 coding-complete genomic sequences of EBOV/Mak have been deposited into GenBank, all of which were obtained directly from clinical samples (“p0”) [1,6]. Following the rules laid out in filovirus standardized nomenclature [10], the names for these sequences therefore should contain the <suffix> “-wt”. In addition, one fragment of the L gene of one isolate of EBOV/Mak was deposited. Based on definitions described in standardized nomenclature [10], the corresponding <suffix> field should therefore be filled with “-frag”. All currently deposited sequences stem from either Guinean, Sierra Leonean, or Nigerian samples. The 3-letter country codes to be used the <country> field [10] for all countries that have thus far handled patients infected with EBOV/Mak are summarized in Table 2.

Table 2.

ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 country codes for countries with recorded cases connected to the 2014 EVD epidemic that started in Guinea [23]:

Official short country name in English (geographical name) Official country name in English (protocol name) ISO 3166-1 3-letter abbreviation
France French Republic FRA
Germany Federal Republic of Germany DEU
Guinea Republic of Guinea GIN
LiberiaMaliNigeria Republic of LiberiaRepublic of MaliFederal Republic of Nigeria LBRMLINGA
NorwaySenegal Kingdom of NorwayRepublic of Senegal NORSEN
Sierra Leone Republic of Sierra Leone SLE
Spain Kingdom of Spain ESP
United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland GBR
United States United States of America USA

Three replicating isolates (C05, C07, and C15) of EBOV/Mak have been reported [1]. The 102 coding-complete genomes (including those of C05, C07, and C15) and the one fragmented L gene sequence that have been deposited into GenBank all already have assigned unique <isolate designation> descriptors. Accordingly, in all currently deposited sequences of EBOV/Mak, the definition line will be adjusted to “Zaire ebolavirus isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-<suffix>/<country>/2014/Makona-<isolate designation>, [coding-]complete genome, with the <suffix>, <country>, and <isolate designation> fields will be filled according to their origin. The GenBank <strain> field will be cleared throughout; the Genbank <isolate> field will be filled with “Ebola virus/H.sapiens-<suffix>/<country>/2014/Makona-<isolate designation>”, and the <organism> field will be corrected, if necessary, to “Zaire ebolavirus” (Table 3).

Table 3.

EBOV isolates from the West African EVD outbreak, 2014: Updated and/or corrected GenBank fields and final names

GenBank Accession Number <GenBank field> = Updated/corrected information
Final names
KJ660346
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/GIN/2014/Makona-C15, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/GIN/2014/Makona-C15
Inline graphic
KJ660347
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/GIN/2014/Makona-C07, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/GIN/2014/Makona-C07
Inline graphic
KJ660348
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/GIN/2014/Makona-C05, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/GIN/2014/Makona-C05
Inline graphic
KM034549
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM095B, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM095B
Inline graphic
KM034550
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM095, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM095
Inline graphic
KM034551
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM096, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM096
Inline graphic
KM034552
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM098, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM098
Inline graphic
KM034553
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3670.1, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3670.1
Inline graphic
KM034554
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3676.1, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3676.1
Inline graphic
KM034555
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3676.2, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3676.2
Inline graphic
KM034556
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3677.1, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3677.1
Inline graphic
KM034557
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3677.2, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3677.2
Inline graphic
KM034558
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3679.1, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3679.1
Inline graphic
KM034559
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3680.1, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3680.1
Inline graphic
KM034560
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3682.1, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3682.1
Inline graphic
KM034561
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Mak-G3683.1, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Mak-G3683.1
Inline graphic
KM034562
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Mak-G3686.1, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3686.1
Inline graphic
KM034563
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3687.1, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3687.1
Inline graphic
KM233035
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM104, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM104
Inline graphic
KM233036
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM106, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM106
Inline graphic
KM233037
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM110, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM110
Inline graphic
KM233038
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM111, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM111
Inline graphic
KM233039
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM112, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM112
Inline graphic
KM233040
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM113, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM113
Inline graphic
KM233041
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM115, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM115
Inline graphic
KM233042
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM119, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM119
Inline graphic
KM233043
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM120, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM120
Inline graphic
KM233044
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM121, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM121
Inline graphic
KM233045
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM124.1, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM124.1
Inline graphic
KM233046
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM124.2, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM124.2
Inline graphic
KM233047
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM124.3, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM124.3
Inline graphic
KM233048
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM124.4, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-EM124.4
Inline graphic
KM233049
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3707, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3707
Inline graphic
KM233050
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3713.2, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3713.2
Inline graphic
KM233051
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3713.3, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3713.3
Inline graphic
KM233052
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3713.4, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3713.4
Inline graphic
KM233053
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3724, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3724
Inline graphic
KM233054
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3729, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3729
Inline graphic
KM233055
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3734.1, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3734.1
Inline graphic
KM233056
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3735.1, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3735.1
Inline graphic
KM233057
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3735.2, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3735.2
Inline graphic
KM233058
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3750.1, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3750.1
Inline graphic
KM233059
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3750.2, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3750.2
Inline graphic
KM233060
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3750.3, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3750.3
Inline graphic
KM233061
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3752, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3752
Inline graphic
KM233062
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3758, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3758
Inline graphic
KM233063
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3764, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3764
Inline graphic
KM233064
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3765.2, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3765.2
Inline graphic
KM233065
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3769.1, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3769.1
Inline graphic
KM233066
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3769.2, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3769.2
Inline graphic
KM233067
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3769.3, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3769.3
Inline graphic
KM233068
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3769.4, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3769.4
Inline graphic
KM233069
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3770.1, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3770.1
Inline graphic
KM233070
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3770.2, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3770.2
Inline graphic
KM233071
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3771, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3771
Inline graphic
KM233072
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3782, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3782
Inline graphic
KM233073
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3786, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3786
Inline graphic
KM233074
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3787, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3787
Inline graphic
KM233075
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3788, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3788
Inline graphic
KM233076
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3789.1, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3789.1
Inline graphic
KM233077
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3795, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3795
Inline graphic
KM233078
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3796, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3796
Inline graphic
KM233079
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3798, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3798
Inline graphic
KM233080
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3799, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3799
Inline graphic
KM233081
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3800, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3800
Inline graphic
KM233082
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3805.1, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3805.1
Inline graphic
KM233083
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3805.2, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3805.2
Inline graphic
KM233084
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3807, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3807
Inline graphic
KM233085
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3808, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3808
Inline graphic
KM233086
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3809, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3809
Inline graphic
KM233087
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3810.1, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3810.1
Inline graphic
KM233088
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3810.2, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3810.2
Inline graphic
KM233089
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3814, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3814
Inline graphic
KM233090
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3816, [coding-]complete genome2 = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3816
Inline graphic
KM233091
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3817, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3817
Inline graphic
KM233092
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3818, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3818
Inline graphic
KM233093
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3819, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3819
Inline graphic
KM233094
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3820, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3820
Inline graphic
KM233095
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3821, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3821
Inline graphic
KM233096
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3822, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3822
Inline graphic
KM233097
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3823, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3823
Inline graphic
KM233098
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3825.1, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3825.1
Inline graphic
KM233099
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3825.2, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3825.2
Inline graphic
KM233100
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3826, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3826
Inline graphic
KM233101
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3827, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3827
Inline graphic
KM233102
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3829, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3829
Inline graphic
KM233103
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3831, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona- G3831
Inline graphic
KM233104
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3834, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3834
Inline graphic
KM233105
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3838, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3838
Inline graphic
KM233106
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3840, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3840
Inline graphic
KM233107
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3841, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3841
Inline graphic
KM233108
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3845, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3845
Inline graphic
KM233109
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3846, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3846
Inline graphic
KM233110
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3848, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3848
Inline graphic
KM233111
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3850, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3850
Inline graphic
KM233112
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3851, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3851
Inline graphic
KM233113
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3856.1, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3856.1
Inline graphic
KM233114
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3856.3, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3856.3
Inline graphic
KM233115
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3857, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-G3857
Inline graphic
KM233116
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-NM042.1, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-NM042.1
Inline graphic
KM233117
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Mak-NM042.2, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-NM042.2
Inline graphic
KM233118
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-NM042.3, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/SLE/2014/Makona-NM042.3
Inline graphic
KM251803
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-frag/NGA/2014/Makona-01072014 L gene, partial CDS3
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
<strain> = [EMPTY]
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-frag/NGA/2014/Makona-01072014
Inline graphic

1 Neither RefSeq nor GenBank currently can handle italics, which is why the species names are not italicized in the actual entry’s definition line and <organism> fields.

2 The International Nucleotide Sequence Database Collaboration (INSDC) standard currently does not offer options other than “complete” or “partial,” and, in particular, does not provide a possibility for the designation “coding-complete.” We, therefore recommend using “complete” for what is actually “coding-complete” as the word “partial” implies short sequence fragments to most users.

3 CDS = coding sequence.

4. The 2014 Ebola Virus Variant Originating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

In late 2014, EVD broke out in Boende District, Democratic Republic of the Congo (3-letter country code: COD), Middle Africa. Epidemiological and phylogenetic studies indicate that this limited EVD outbreak was caused by a single introduction of one particular ebolavirus, Ebola virus (EBOV), into humans (Homo sapiens) from an unknown reservoir and therefore that all subsequent several cases (almost 70) are derived from one unnamed variant [9]. Preliminary clinical observations among EVD patients in this outbreak do not contradict past descriptions of EVD [9], i.e., this novel unnamed EBOV variant is not a strain as defined in [10]. Here we propose the name “Lomela” (IPA: [lɔ'mɛlɑ] or [lɔ'mɛlə]; English phonetic notation: law-me-lah or law-me-luh) after the Lomela River that runs through COD’s Boende District (see Figure 2) as the variant name for this Middle African virus. The general name for the 2014 Middle African virus is therefore

Figure 2.

Figure 2

Location of the Lomela River.

graphic file with name viruses-06-04760-i106.jpg

Accordingly, in all currently deposited sequences of EBOV/Lom, the definition line will be adjusted to “Zaire ebolavirus isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-<suffix>/<COD>/2014/Lomela-<isolate designation>, with the <suffix> and <isolate designation> fields will be filled according to their origin. The GenBank <strain> field will be cleared throughout; the Genbank <isolate> field will be filled with “Ebola virus/H.sapiens-<suffix>/<COD>/2014/Lomela-<isolate designation>”, and the <organism> field will be corrected, if necessary, to “Zaire ebolavirus” (Table 4).

Table 4.

EBOV isolates from the Democratic Republic of the Congo Boende EVD outbreak, 2014: Updated and/or corrected GenBank information and final names

GenBank Accession Number <GenBank field> = Updated/corrected information
Final names
KM517570
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 isolate Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/GIN/2014/Makona-C15, [coding-]complete genome2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-frag/COD/2014/Lomela-Lokolia16
Inline graphic
KM517571
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 Ebola isolate virus H.sapiens-frag/COD/2014/Lomela-Lokolia17 L gene, partial CDS2
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-frag/COD/2014/Lomela-Lokolia17
Inline graphic
KM519951
<DEFINITION LINE> = Zaire ebolavirus1 Ebola isolate virus H.sapiens-wt/COD/2014/Lomela-Lokolia1, [coding-]complete genome3
<SOURCE ORGANISM> = Zaire ebolavirus1
</isolate> = Ebola virus/H.sapiens-wt/COD/2014/Lomela-Lokolia1
Inline graphic

1 Neither RefSeq nor GenBank currently can handle italics, which is why the species names are not italicized in the actual entry’s definition line and <organism> fields.

2 CDS = coding sequence

3 The International Nucleotide Sequence Database Collaboration (INSDC) standard currently does not offer options other than “complete” or “partial,” and, in particular, does not provide a possibility for the designation “coding-complete.” We, therefore recommend using “complete” for what is actually “coding-complete” as the word “partial” implies short sequence fragments to most users.

Note: “Lokolia” – IPA: [lɔ'kɔliə] or [lə'kɔliə]; English phonetic notation: law-kaw-lee-uh or luh-kaw-lee-uh.

Acknowledgments

We thank Laura Bollinger (IRF-Frederick) for carefully editing the manuscript. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) or of the institutions and companies affiliated with the authors. This work was funded in part through Battelle Memorial Institute’s prime contract with the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under Contract No. HHSN272200700016I. J.W. performed this work as an employee of Battelle Memorial Institute. Subcontractors to Battelle Memorial Institute who performed this work are: J.H.K., an employee of Tunnell Government Services, Inc. This research was further supported in part by the Intramural Research Program of the NIH, National Library of Medicine (Y.B., O.B., and J.R.B.).

Author Contributions

All authors were engaged in the discussion about the best possible virus variants names and were or are involved in updating/correcting current GenBank entries for isolates of these variants. The final decisions presented in the paper were reached by consensus or simple majority voting, with the understanding that all authors will apply the final decisions reached by the entire group and enforce them in their functions as authors, peer-reviewers, and/or editors.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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