Ebola

[ee-boh-luh, ih-boh-]

noun

1. Also called Ebola fever;. Also called Ebola virus disease. Also called Ebola hemorrhagic fever. a usually fatal disease, a type of hemorrhagic fever, caused by the Ebola virus and marked by high fever, severe gastrointestinal distress, and bleeding.

2. Ebola virus.

Ebola

1. A highly lethal virus that causes massive internal hemorrhaging. It is thought that the virus originated in central Africa and was passed to humans from primates.

This virus has been responsible for a greatly increased interest in and vigilance over new, exotic infectious diseases that are at risk of spreading rapidly, given the nature of modern jet transportation and bioterrorism (see also bioterrorism).

Word History and Origins

Origin of Ebola¹

After Ebola River, Democratic Republic of the Congo, near which an outbreak of the disease occurred in 1976

Example Sentences

In the past the CDC has been instrumental in global health, leading the response to crises from famine, to HIV, to Ebola.

From BBC

At least 15 people have died in a new outbreak of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the country's health ministry has said.

From BBC

Researchers say this is the first comprehensive study to assess the impact of emergency vaccination programmes in response to the outbreak of five infectious diseases – Ebola, measles, cholera, yellow fever and meningitis.

From BBC

Different viruses can cure diabetes in mice; reduce the risk of a really nasty virus, Ebola, proving fatal in humans; or prevent HIV progressing to AIDS.

From Salon

These three additional monkeys were not quarantined, which is required by law to prevent deadly diseases — such as Ebola, Marburg and mpox — from spreading from primates to humans, prosecutors said.

From Los Angeles Times