The Ebola virus has an "evolutionary goal" to become more lethal, British researchers have warned.
The virus has become more deadly as it has moved from species to species, according to the study at Liverpool University, UK.
The researchers conducted laboratory studies of the Zaire strain of the virus for their research published in Genome Biology.
Professor Roger Hewson, from Public Health England, Porton Down, who also worked on the project, said: "Our understanding of Ebola virus biology is way behind that of other viruses and our collaboration shows how we can bring together our specialists skills to close this knowledge gap."
Meanwhile US researchers warned of "genetic drift" in the virus, suggesting this could hamper the development of treatments.
The study found 600 genetic mutations in the current West African strain compared with the original Zaire virus.
These included ten mutations that could interfere with drugs under development, they report in the journal mBio.
Researcher Dr Jeffrey Kugelman, of the US Army Medical Research Institute, said: "Based on our findings, the virus has changed and is continuing to change."
* Meanwhile the World Health Organisation emergency committee said yesterday the Ebola outbreak would remain a public health emergency.
But it expressed concern about restrictions on travel linked to the outbreak, naming 40 countries as being responsible for excessive restrictions.
So far the latest outbreak in West Africa is known to have killed more than 8,000 people and infected more than 21,000 people.
Evaluation of the potential impact of Ebola virus genomic drift on the efficacy of sequence-based candidate therapeutics. mBio 21 January 2015; 6(1):e02227-14. doi:10.1128/mBio.02227-14.
Genome Biology 21 January 2015
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