This
list of Ebola outbreaks records the occurrence of
Ebola hemorrhagic fever throughout the history.
Pathogens of the disease are the five
ebolaviruses recognized by
International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses:
Ebola virus (EBOV),
Sudan virus (SUDV),
Reston virus (RESTV),
Taï Forest virus (TAFV), and
Bundibugyo virus (BDBV), of which the Reston species has only caused the illness on other primates. Transmission between natural reservoirs and humans is rare, and outbreaks of Ebola virus disease are often traceable to a
single case where an individual has handled the carcass of a
gorilla,
chimpanzee, or
duiker. The virus then spreads person-to-person, especially within families, hospitals, and during some
mortuary rituals where contact among individuals becomes more likely. Before outbreaks are confirmed in areas of weak surveillance on the local or regional levels, Ebola is often mistaken for
malaria,
typhoid fever,
dysentery,
influenza, or various
bacterial infections which may be endemic to the region.