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How does the VSV-EBOV vaccine protect people from Zaire Ebola virus?

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Ebolavirus and Ebola virus disease — Ebola Numerous filamentous ebolavirus particles (blue) budding from a chronically-infected VERO E6 cell (yellow-green) in this digitally colorized scanning electron micrograph produced by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

The VSV-EBOV vaccine protects individuals from the Zaire Ebola virus by utilizing a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) platform that has been engineered to express the EBOV glycoprotein.1

When this vaccine is administered, the body recognizes the EBOV protein and generates specific antibodies against it. This immune response allows the vaccinated individual to gain immunity, effectively preventing the spread of the ebolavirus among those in close contact with infected persons.1