Desclaux Alice auteur aut IRD Anoko J. auteur aut IRD Akindès F. collab. clb IRD Bila B. collab. clb IRD Egrot Marc collab. clb IRD Taverne Bernard collab. clb IRD et al. auteur aut IRD RAEE.Réseau ouest africain Anthropologie des Épidémies Émergentes collab. clb IRD text journalArticle fre text/pdf reformatted digital access Anthropologists contributed to the response to the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in three ways: as Ebola experts, cultural mediators between populations and caregivers, and researchers. This article presents a preliminary review of approaches, contributions and related issues based on a literature review, case studies and debates. The anthropological research discussed in this article concerns four themes: epidemiological contexts of transmission; cultural interpretation of illness and social responses; social construction of stakeholders' experience; critical analysis of public health interventions. In addition to insightful contributions, particularly regarding the socio-political contexts and their interfaces with global public health measures, anthropologists tested forms of communication to facilitate access of public health actors to their results. However, these heterogeneous forms of engagement raise a number of questions, especially when they reflect anthropological interpretations that exclude any critical or reflexive dimension, or when anthropology is considered to be similar to social intervention. Nevertheless, anthropological research provides a major contribution, which could be even greater if transnational networks set up by researchers to analyse the socio-political, economic and biocultural dimensions of emerging epidemics are supported in order to improve "preparedness" for future health crises. specialized West Africa Ebola Anthropology Epidemic Social sciences Afrique de l’Ouest Anthropologie Épidémie Sciences sociales AFRIQUE DE L'OUEST SENEGAL GUINEE BENIN COTE D'IVOIRE BURKINA FASO 106 050 052 Delfraissy J.F. préf. aut IRD 29 4 477-485 2017 0995-3914 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010071375 10.3917/spub.174.0477 0995-3914 [F B010071375] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010071375 https://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/divers21-01/010071375.pdf IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2018-01-05 2023-07-11 fdi:010071375 fre