The document summarizes the 1976 Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo (then Zaire). It describes: 1) The formation of an international commission including representatives from Belgium, Canada, France, South Africa, US, and WHO to investigate and control the outbreak. 2) CDC's participation through EIS officers who provided technical assistance in Congo and neighboring countries. 3) The initial confusion and rising anxiety during the outbreak that was later replaced by effective surveillance and case management efforts that contained the virus. 4) Key findings about the transmission dynamics and clinical presentation of Ebola from investigations and studies conducted during the outbreak.

1. “Just a few days . . . Ebola, Zaire, 1976”
Joel Breman, MD, DTPH
Fogarty International Center
National Institutes of Health
50th Anniversary Celebration
Epidemic Intelligence Service
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Atlanta, April 22, 2001

2. International Commission for the Investigation and
Control of Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever
Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire), 1976-77
Collaborators
Belgium
Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire)
Canada
France
South Africa
United States
World Health Organization

3. International Commission for the Investigation and
Control of EHF 1976-77
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Participation
Task Force Backup, Atlanta
In DR Congo (Zaire)
John Bryan, EIS 1968
Joel Breman, EIS 1976
Lyle Conrad, EIS 1965
Stan Foster, EIS, 1962
Bill Foege, EIS 1971
David Heymann, EIS 1976
Larry Schonberger, EIS 1971
Karl Johnson
David Sencer, EIS 1975
Joe McCormick, EIS 1973
Phil Brachman, EIS 1954
Michael White, EIS 1975
Laboratory, CDC
Luanne Elliot
In Sudan Jim Lange
Fred Murphy
Don Francis, EIS 1971
Pat Webb
Herta Wulff

4. Ebola, Zaire, 1976
Spectrum of Emotion and Activity
Highest Less high
Anxiety
Confidence
Emotion
Uncertainty Anger
(false) Celebration
Terror
Sorrow Understanding
Comfort
Fear
(false)
Activity
People Active case
fleeing Rapid Patient detection
Chaos
Surveillance management
Commissio Plasmapheresis
n formed Isolation and Investigations/ Field
quarantine quick Investigations
Low
Information Sharing
High

5. Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever, DR Congo (Zaire), 1976:
Team Members, Antwerp, 1996

6. Number of Cases of Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever in the
Equator Region, by Day of Onset and Probable Type of
50 Transmission, 1976
45 Probable Type of
Transmission
40
Person to Person
35 Both
Cases
30 Syringe
25
20
15
10
5
1-3 4-6 7-9 10-12 13-15 16-18 19-21 22-24 25-27 28-30 1-3 4-6 7-9 10-12 13-15 16-18 19-21 22-24 25-27 28-30
September October

7. Ebola Virus, Zaire, 1976
Unfixed diagnostic specimen from
Vero cell passage: sodium
phosphotungstate x 90,000
(Fred Murphy)

8. Laboratory in Yambuku, DR Congo
(Zaire), 1976
Guido van der Groen

9. Epidemiologists in Yambuku, DR Congo
(Zaire), 1976
Peace Corps Volunteer, Joel Breman, Peter Piot, Pierre Sureau

10. Convalescent EHF Patient Undergoing
Plasmapheresis, Yambuku, DR Congo (Zaire), 1976
Karl Johnson

11. Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever Team in
Yambuku, DR Congo (Zaire), 1976

12. Evacuation of EHF Commission Member from
Yambuku, DR Congo (Zaire), to Johannesburg,
November 1976

16. Ebola Virus
Marburg Virus
Both

17. Marburg and Ebola Virus Outbreaks from 1967-2000
The Filoviral Triangle
Ebola Virus
Marburg virus
Both

19. Locations of Outbreaks of Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever, Sudan
and DR Congo (Zaire), 1976, and DR Congo (Zaire), 1995

20. Time of Onset of Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever by
Transmission Type (after initial contact with source)
DR Congo (Zaire), 1976

21. Flying along the Zaire River to Yambuku, DR
Congo (Zaire), October 1976

22. Villages on the Bumba to Yambuku Road, DR
Congo (Zaire), October 1976

23. Patient with Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever, Bumba Zone,
Equateur Province, DR Congo (Zaire), October 1976

24. Patient with Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever, Bumba Zone,
Equateur Province, DR Congo (Zaire), October 1976