Ebola virus disease, also known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a rare but severe infectious disease that can be fatal in humans. Outbreaks occur frequently, mainly in the African continent. The virus is transmitted to humans from wild animals and spreads in the human population through person-to-person transmission.

Ebola virus belongs to the genus Ebolavirus, which can infect and cause disease in humans and primates including monkeys, gorillas and chimpanzees. Ebola virus disease is highly fatal in humans with a mortality rate of up to 50% of infected cases.