HealthScienceDailyA deadly ebola relative is surging after years in the shadows
A surging outbreak of Bundibugyo, a little-known Ebola relative, has killed 138 people across the DRC and Uganda, with limited lab access slowing the response.
A growing Bundibugyo virus outbreak is showing how a little-known relative of Ebola can become a major threat when diagnosis and treatment options are limited. Experts warn that preparing only for familiar pathogens could leave the world vulnerable when rare but deadly viruses suddenly reemerge.
A growing outbreak of Bundibugyo virus, a rare Ebola relative, has recorded 695 confirmed cases and 138 deaths across the DRC and Uganda as of June 11.
Boston University professor Nancy Sullivan, writing in the New England Journal of Medicine, warns that limited lab access in the DRC is slowing diagnosis and allowing the virus to spread further.
Sullivan argues that outbreak preparedness must extend beyond well-known diseases, as unfamiliar pathogens can become major threats when diagnosis and treatment options are scarce.
Experts say the outbreak highlights the need to prepare for lesser-known pathogens, not just familiar ones like Ebola.
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