Can a vaccine built for one Ebola virus stop another? The World Health Organization is about to find out

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The World Health Organization has prioritized the Ervebo vaccine for clinical trials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Originally developed for the Zaire ebolavirus, the vaccine is now being tested against the Bundibugyo species responsible for a new outbreak.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended prioritizing the Ervebo vaccine for testing in a clinical trial in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The vaccine was originally developed to protect against Zaire ebolavirus, the species responsible for the devastating West African epidemic just over a decade ago. It was not designed for the Bundibugyo species responsible for the current outbreak—which raises the question of why scientists are considering it at all.