Ebola ‘is mutating rapidly’ making it harder to treat

THE ebola virus mutates rapidly and continually, making it harder to diagnose and treat, scientists say.

This could also make any future vaccine less effective, because the disease appears in a different form in each new outbreak.

US researchers at the Broad Institute in Massachusetts and Harvard University studied 78 of the first patients diagnosed in Sierra Leone.

They found almost 400 genetic changes that make the 2014 virus different to earlier outbreaks.

The team published their findings to an open database so all scientists can use them. Co-author Dr Pardis Sabeti said: ‘A spirit of international and multidisciplinary collaboration is needed to quickly shed light on the ongoing outbreak.’

The news came as it emerged a man infected with ebola travelled to Senegal, taking the virus to the country for the first time.

The disease has hit four other West African nations and killed more than 1,500 people in the worst outbreak since it was first diagnosed in 1976.

The man, a student from Guinea, sought treatment at a hospital in Senegal’s capital, Dakar, but gave staff no warning he might have ebola. He was tracked after a team in Guinea warned he was missing, and has been quarantined.

The outbreak began last year in Guinea and has spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. More than 3,000 people have contracted the disease, which is spread by bodily fluids and has no licensed treatment. A separate outbreak was reported this week in Congo, with 13 deaths.

The virus’s spread highlights how the situation has spiralled out of control despite frantic efforts.

The World Health Organisation said yesterday the past week has seen 500 more cases – the biggest rise to date. It warned 20,000 people could eventually be infected.

However, hopes of a breakthrough have been raised by the successful treatment of infected monkeys with the experimental drug ZMapp. All 18 rhesus macaques made a full recovery after having severe symptoms.