One of the following causes Ebola fever

1. Analyze the question The question asks which type of organism or agent causes Ebola fever, also called Ebola virus disease (EVD).

2. Explain the concept Diseases are caused by different types of pathogens:

• Bacteria cause diseases like cholera, typhoid, tuberculosis and tetanus.
• Fungi cause ringworm, athlete's foot and candidiasis.
• Protozoa cause malaria (Plasmodium), sleeping sickness (Trypanosoma) and amoebic dysentery (Entamoeba).
• Viruses cause Ebola, HIV/AIDS, Lassa fever, polio, measles, yellow fever and influenza.

3. Solution

• Ebola fever is caused by the Ebola virus, a member of the Filoviridae family.
• It is a virus, not a cell-based organism, so it is not a bacterium, fungus or protozoan.
• It spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person or animal. Fruit bats are believed to be natural hosts.
• Because it is viral, antibiotics (which act on bacteria) do not treat it. Management involves supportive care, and vaccines now exist.
• Nigeria handled the 2014 Ebola outbreak successfully through contact tracing and containment, which is a good real-life example to remember.

4. Answer The correct option is D. Viruses.

5. Exam tip Remember the name connection: Ebola, Lassa, HIV, and yellow fever are all viral. A quick memory trick is "Ebola = Enemy Virus". Also remember that malaria is the most commonly tested protozoan disease, so you do not mix it up with viral hemorrhagic fevers like Ebola.