Bundibugyo is the Ebola strain with no vaccine or treatment, which has already caused two epidemics in Uganda and Congo in 2007 and 2012. It is the focus of international authorities' attention following the WHO's declaration of a public health emergency of international concern. However, contact with saliva or blood is required for transmission. And the risk is higher in countries with unsafe burial practices.
An update published on the Italian National Institute of Health's website addresses the most frequently asked questions. Bundibugyo virus disease is a severe and often fatal form of Ebola, caused by one of the Orthoebolavirus species: it is a zoonotic disease thought to be caused by fruit bats, the natural reservoir of the virus. Human infection, explains the ISS, occurs through contact with the blood or secretions of infected wild animals, including bats or primates. It then spreads from person to person through direct contact with the blood, secretions, or other bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated surfaces.
"Transmission is amplified," explains the ISS, "where there are burial practices that involve direct contact with the deceased." Currently, according to the World Health Organization, there are 30 confirmed cases, but 500 suspected cases and 130 possible deaths. Of particular concern is the fact that, unlike Ebola virus disease, "there is no licensed vaccine and no specific therapies are available," but "prompt supportive care is lifesaving."
The incubation period ranges from 2 to 21 days, and individuals are usually not contagious until symptoms appear. These symptoms, "at least initially, are general, such as fever, muscle aches, headache, and sore throat," which "delays diagnosis and case reporting." The disease progresses with gastrointestinal disorders, organ dysfunction, and bleeding, with a mortality rate of 30% to 50%. According to the ECDC, "the likelihood of infection for EU/EEA residents or travelers to Ituri Province is considered low." The WHO recommends that countries provide travelers to affected areas with information on risks, measures to minimize them, and measures to manage potential exposure. However, it does not consider it necessary to screen passengers returning from high-risk areas.
