The filiovirus is a deadly microorganism that is infamous for causing the deadly Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever. This has given it a more commonly known nickname; Ebola virus. It is named after the Ebola River, where the first known outbreak was reported.
So how is filiovirus transmitted? The earliest strains, as well as the new ones, were transmitted through bodily fluids. This was not just limited to sexual transmission, however, as the virus was spread orally via the transfer of saliva. This also means that a bite from an infected animal would also transmit the virus. Newer strains of the virus have been shown to be transmitted solely through physical contact. Even the handling of monkeys, chimpanzees, and apes that are infected puts humans at a great risk for contracting the virus. The virus can still be spread easily through the dead bodies of monkeys, apes and humans. Therefore, this has led to a controversial practice of mass burnings of the infected dead.
Of course, the early stages of the virus are mild compared to the later stages. Infected humans cannot yet transmit the virus through contact. It is during this stage that the most hope comes for treatment and prevention. If treatment cannot be provided, then isolation is necessary.
There is a great fear that Ebola will become airborne and spread across the globe. In older days, it was thought that there was very little chance of this happening. However, in recent years, an outbreak of an airborne strain of Ebola infected and decimated a monkey population in Africa. Luckily, this strain could not infect humans and was contained before it spread too far.
In 2006, scientists developed a treatment to combat Ebola. In testing it on rhesus monkeys, they concluded that there was a seventy percent success rate. Human trials are expected to begin soon.