When people face different types of viruses, doctors often look at whether a vaccine for one can protect against another. This is called cross-reactivity. Researchers looked at how two common Ebola vaccines, Ervebo and Zabdeno/Mvabea, perform against the Bundibugyo virus.
The data shows that Ervebo has a limited ability to bind to or neutralize the Bundibugyo virus. Specifically, there was a 2.8-fold drop in binding and a 3.1-fold drop in neutralization for Ervebo. For the Zabdeno/Mvabea vaccine, there was a much larger drop, with a 39.7-fold decrease in how well the body recognized the Bundibugyo virus.
In animal studies, the results were mixed. One study showed significant protection for ferrets after one or two doses, but another study involving non-human primates did not show significant protection. Because the data for the Zabdeno/Mvabea vaccine is very limited, more research is needed to know exactly how well these vaccines work against the Bundibugyo virus.
