Sreemoyee Chatterjee
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Written By: Sreemoyee Chatterjee | Updated : September 14, 2018 10:56 PM IST
Now, Ebola virus can be neutralised and treated © Shutterstock
Treating Ebolavirus may no more be difficult. Reason, scientists have come up with a way by which they can neutralise Ebola virus. Two new studies conducted by researchers from Scripps Research have been able to bring out the weakness of this deadly virus and have shown for the first time how human and mouse antibodies can bind to the virus, thereby preventing the spread of infection, according to a recent media report. This method goes not only for Ebola virus but other closely linked pathogens as well, say the researchers. These papers appeared in mBio and the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
The research has found that antibiotics like these can open new door to versatile lifesaving therapeutics that can neutralise all members of Ebolavirus genus.
"This is like understanding how to kill five or six birds with one stone," reportedly said Erica Ollmann Saphire, professor at Scripps Research and senior author of the new papers. According to the media report, she added: "The different viruses in the Ebolavirus genus vary in their structure, but all these different viruses have the same outbreak potential. We need a therapeutic approach that can target them all."
According to the new research, antibodies that bind to a site on the viral "fusion loop" have the ability to neutralise all known ebolaviruses. This fusion loop is a part of the machinery used by these viruses to get fused with human cells and start the infection. Targeting this fusion loop can bring out chances of coming up with a universal therapy for infections caused by all five members of the Ebolavirus genus, stated the media report.
