Fight Ebola virus disease in Africa: a question related to the environment?

Abstract

Repetitive outbreaks of Ebola virus disease is a major public health problem in Africa. Indeed, since September 1976, date of its isolation and its first description in the north of the ex-Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) and in the south Sudan, many African countries continue to live recurring episodes of epidemics from Ebola virus disease with its corollaries of human suffering, deaths and economic loss. This article, through a review of the literature, a brief overview of the possible environmental origin of these Ebola viruses, before describing how environmental changes may contribute to the emergence or reemergence of these viruses Ebola in Africa.