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. 2020 Feb 20;6(1):13. doi: 10.1038/s41572-020-0147-3

Fig. 1. Filovirus taxonomy and Ebola virus transmission.

Fig. 1

a | Taxonomy of the genus Ebolavirus. Thus far, five ebolaviruses have been associated with human infections, and four of them have been identified as pathogens. b | The natural reservoir host(s) of Ebola virus (EBOV) has (have) yet to be identified. Multiple data indicate a direct or indirect role of bats in EBOV ecology, but to date, EBOV has not been isolated from, nor has a near-complete EBOV genome been detected in any wild animal279. However, it is tempting to speculate that Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a zoonosis (that is, an infectious disease caused by an agent transmitted between animals and humans) because retrospective epidemiological investigations have often been able to track down the probable index cases of EVD outbreaks. These individuals had been in contact with wild animals or had handled the carcass of a possible accidental EBOV host7,280. c | Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) image of EBOV particles (green) budding from grivet cells. d | Transmission electron microscopic (TEM) image of EBOV particles (green) budding from grivet cells1,281. aThe kingdom name has been approved by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) but has yet to be ratified. Parts c and d courtesy of J. Wada and J. Bernbaum, NIH/NIAID Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, USA.