Scientists warn that Ebola virus is changing

Scientists in France analysing hundreds of blood samples say Ebola is mutating

The Institut Pasteur in France, which was the first to identify the Ebola outbreak in March last year, has said that the virus as changed, and they are analysing whether it has become more contagious.

In total, more than 22,000 people have been infected by the disease, with 8,795 fatalities in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

The Scientists are analysing blood samples from infected patients in Guinea, and they are tracking how the virus is changing and whether it’s able to be infected from one person to another more easily.

Human geneticist Dr Anavaj Sakuntabhai said: “We know the virus is changing quite a lot. That's important for diagnosing (new cases) and for treatment. We need to know how the virus (is changing) to keep up with our enemy."

The BBC reports that it is normal for viruses to change over time. Like HIV and influenza, Ebola is an RNA virus, which means it has a high mutation rate. It is unclear whether the mutation has made it more contagious or less symptomatic.

“We've now seen several cases that don't have any symptoms at all, asymptomatic cases,” said Sakuntabhai.

“A virus can change itself to less deadly, but more contagious and that's something we are afraid of.”