Hemorrhagic fevers are a family of infectious diseases including Ebola, Marburg, Lassa fever and yellow fever that affect the body’s blood clotting abilities. Recent outbreaks have occurred in militarily strategic regions like West Africa where WRAIR’s research infrastructure has enabled surveillance and countermeasure research.
In response to the West Africa Ebola outbreak, the U.S. Department of Defense supported a strategic Army-Navy initiative called the Joint West Africa Research Group (JWARG) in 2015.
EIDB leads the Army efforts for JWARG, which includes a multi-site study to identify and characterize cases of suspected severe infectious disease in the region. Through this effort, EIDB aims to strengthen research capabilities in the region, enhance our ability to identify and understand emerging pathogens and develop effective countermeasures.