Detection of Zaire Ebola virus by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, Sierra Leone, 2014

•To evaluate cross-reaction with other close-phylogenic viruses of the family Filoviridae, RNA transcriptions of partial NP genes from Sudan ebolavirus, Reston ebolavirus, Taï Forest ebolavirus, Bundibugyo ebolavirus and Marburg marburgvirus were employed.•Clinical samples were collected from probable Ebola cases and these patients characterized with fever, diarrhea, vomiting, or hemorrhage and had contact with a confirmed or probable Ebola case.•To evaluate cross-reaction with other close-phylogenic viruses of the family Filoviridae, RNA transcriptions of partial NP genes from Sudan ebolavirus, Reston ebolavirus, Taï Forest ebolavirus, Bundibugyo ebolavirus and Marburg marburgvirus were employed.•Clinical samples were collected from probable Ebola cases and these patients characterized with fever, diarrhea, vomiting, or hemorrhage and had contact with a confirmed or probable Ebola case.