1. CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100101, China
2. Strategic Pandemic Preparedness Action and Research Center (SPARC), Guangzhou National Laboratory, Guangzhou 510220, China
3. Center for Global Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, China
4. State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Joint International Research Laboratory of Respiratory Health, Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Respiratory Medicine, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510182, China
Corresponding author:
sijh@im.ac.cn
liu_jun01@gzlab.ac.cn
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History+
Received
Accepted
Published Online
2026-05-29
2026-06-10
2026-06-22
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Abstract
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Ebola virus identification, but the 2026 outbreak of Bundibugyo ebolavirus disease has exposed important limitations in Ebola preparedness strategies that remain largely focused on Zaire ebolavirus. Although major advances in diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics have followed the 2014–2016 West African Ebola epidemic, most licensed countermeasures were developed against Zaire ebolavirus and may provide limited protection against other ebolavirus species, including Bundibugyo ebolavirus. Herein, we examine the epidemiological significance of Bundibugyo ebolavirus and review current and emerging diagnostics, vaccines, antibody therapies, and antiviral strategies, with emphasis on their species coverage and limitations. We further discuss how diagnostic blind spots, limited species-inclusive countermeasures, and fragile health systems contributed to challenges during the current outbreak. Future Ebola preparedness should adopt a broader framework encompassing multiple ebolavirus species with epidemic potential.
Jiahui Si, Jiachun Cai, Junhui Zhou, Lili Wang, George F. Gao, Jun Liu.
On the 50th year responding to Ebola: mapping diagnostic, vaccine, and therapeutic gaps across ebolavirus species.
MedScience DOI:10.1007/s11684-026-1265-4
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