Abstract

Anuj Kumar Anit*, Shalini Sunderam, Dewesh Kumar, Kumari Asha Kiran, Neha Priya, Anit Kujur

ABSTRACT

Background: Ebola virus disease (EVD), caused by Orthoebolavirus species, is a severe and often fatal viral haemorrhagic disease with an average case-fatality rate of approximately 50%. The 2014–2016 West African epidemic accelerated vaccine development, leading to the licensure and widespread deployment of vaccines against Zaire ebolavirus. Subsequent outbreaks provided evidence on vaccine effectiveness, safety, immunogenicity, and durability, while exposing persistent challenges in access, stockpiling, rapid deployment, and equitable distribution. Objectives: To map evidence from 2020–2025 on Ebola vaccines, including regulatory status, clinical and real-world evidence, outbreak deployment, emerging candidates, immunogenicity, durability, special populations, stockpiling, and access. Methods: A scoping review followed Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidance. PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and selected grey literature were searched for publications from January 2020 to December 2025. Two reviewers independently screened and charted records. Foundational studies (2009–2019) and one early-online 2026 analysis were retained for context. Overall, 46 documents were included. Results: ERVEBO (rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP) demonstrated 100% efficacy in the Guinea ring-vaccination trial and 84% adjusted effectiveness in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where more than 300,000 contacts were vaccinated. Zabdeno/Mvabea (Ad26.ZEBOV/MVA-BN-Filo) was authorised in 2020 through immunobridging, without observed human efficacy. Antibody responses and immune memory persisted for years, although correlates of protection and booster strategies remain uncertain. From 2021–2023, 145,690 stockpile doses were shipped, mainly for prevention. The 2022 Sudan virus outbreak highlighted the absence of licensed vaccines for non-Zaire ebolaviruses and accelerated candidate development. Cold-chain, equity, acceptance, and evidence gaps remain challenges.  Conclusions: Between 2020 and 2025, Ebola vaccines advanced to licensed, stockpiled, and widely deployed countermeasures. Priorities include improving durability and correlates of protection, equitable access, and developing broadly protective, multivalent, thermostable vaccines.