Elaboration of laboratory strains of Ebola virus and study of pathophysiological reactions of animals inoculated with these strains

Selective passages in animals and cell cultures were used to produce a set of Ebola virus (EBO) laboratory strains with changed virulence for some animal genera. Comparative study of the genomes of wild-type EBO and selected variants formed the basis for studying the molecular causes of EBO virulence. Investigation of pathophysiological reactions of the animals inoculated with these strains allowed some key factors in Ebola fever pathogenesis to be determined. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.