Peter Piot
Peter Piot is a Belgian microbiologist and public health leader who co-discovered Ebola virus and became UNAIDS’s first executive director.
Yambuku Ebola outbreak: The 1976 Ebola outbreak in northern Zaire, centered on the village of Yambuku. Piot investigated this outbreak and helped identify the previously unknown virus.
Ebola virus: A group of viruses that cause severe disease in humans and other primates. Piot helped identify this virus during the 1976 outbreak investigation.
HIV/AIDS in Africa: The diverse epidemics of HIV infection and AIDS across African countries and communities. UNAIDS under Piot emphasized the scale and varied drivers of the epidemic across the continent.
Antwerp Institute of Tropical Medicine: A Belgian institution for research, education, and public-health work in tropical medicine. Piot was a young laboratory scientist there when Ebola samples arrived from Zaire.
Ebola virus disease: A severe illness caused by infection with a virus in the genus Orthoebolavirus. Its acute outbreaks differ from the prolonged, worldwide response required for HIV.
David Heymann: A British epidemiologist who led international responses to infectious-disease outbreaks and directed WHO’s response to SARS. Heymann and Piot worked together in the early investigation of Ebola in Zaire.
Epidemiology: The study of the distribution and determinants of health conditions in populations. Piot’s field investigations used epidemiological methods to trace outbreaks.
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria: An international financing partnership that supports programs against AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Piot advocated for expanded global financing to address infectious diseases.
Yambuku Mission Hospital: A Catholic mission hospital in northern Zaire associated with the first recognized Ebola outbreak. The outbreak began among patients and staff connected to this hospital.
HIV epidemic: The continuing spread of HIV infections through populations over time. Unlike an Ebola outbreak, HIV requires sustained prevention, treatment, and care systems.