Ebola - The Killer Virus

Ebola: The Killer Virus
General
Ebola is a disease of humans and other mammals, caused by the Ebolavirus, which
finds its origin in the sub-Saharan Africa. Fruit Bats are considered to be the most likely
natural carriers of the virus without themselves getting affected by the same.
Humans became infected through contact with the bats or living or dead animals that
had been infected by bats. Once human infection occurs, the disease may spread
between people through blood transfusion or exchange of body fluids. Transmission of
the virus through air has so far not been reported or documented.
First Detection of Ebola virus
The first known outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) was identified between June and
November in 1976 in South Sudan, in which 284 people got affected and 151 died.
The second outbreak occurred in 1995 in the Democratic Republic of Congo that
affected 315 people and killed 254. In 2000 a total of 425 people got affected and 224
died in Uganda.
From 2003 and 2013 many people died due to Ebola in the Democratic Republic of
Congo and Uganda. The most probable cause was the affected bush meat hunted and
consumed by the locals.
Spread of Ebola in 2014
In March 2014, the World Health Organisation reported a widespread outbreak of Ebola
in the West African province of New Guinea. The disease rapidly spread to the
neighbouring countries of Liberia and Sierra Leone.
By 23 September, in the three hardest hit countries, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea,
there were only 893 treatment beds available while the current need was 2122.
By mid October 2014, 8,998 suspected cases and 4,493 deaths had been reported in
the region. 50% of the above said cases have been from Liberia. The disease is
assuming an epidemic proportion, not recorded in the recent history and it is estimated
that at the present rate of spread of Ebola, at least 10000 people will get affected every
week.
The first case of Ebola outside Africa was reported to be a Spanish Nurse, who
contracted Ebola after caring for a priest who had been repatriated from West Africa.
During October, 2014, there have been 17 cases of Ebola treated outside of Africa, four
of whom have died. On 20 October 2014, the Spanish nurse has been said to be totally
cured and showed negative signs of Ebola.
Two cases of Ebola have been reported in USA. The first being a native Liberian, Eric
Duncan who flew back to Texas after getting affected and second, a nurse in Texas who
had treated Duncan was found to be positive for the Ebola virus on 12 October 2014.
This happens to be the first known case of the disease to be contracted in the United
States.
On 15 October another Texas healthcare worker was confirmed to have been affected
by the virus, which has sent the alarm bells ringing, putting the US administration into
high alert. President Obama has appointed an Ebola Czar to oversee measures being
adopted to check the spread of Ebola.
Latest update is that on 20 October 2014, Nigeria has been declared Ebola free after no
new cases were reported in the previous six weeks.
Preparedness in Indian Context
No cases of Ebola have been so far reported in India. However, the Health Ministry
needs to be highly proactive to prevent Ebola virus from landing on Indian soil.
Considering the density of our population, especially in urban centres and the usual
lackadaisical state of preparedness towards such disastrous epidemics, Ebola, can
cause unimaginable damage to human life in our country.
Causes, Symptoms and Transmission of the Disease
The major cause of spread of the disease from other animals to humans occurred in
Africa was primarily through consumption of infected mammal, such as the Fruit Bats or
Apes.
Human to human transmission occurs due to physical contact only, where exchange of
body fluid may take place.
Body fluids that may transmit ebolaviruses include saliva, mucus, vomit, faeces, sweat,
tears, breast milk, urine, and semen. Entry points include the nose, mouth, eyes, or
open wounds, cuts and abrasion.
Nearly two thirds of the cases of Ebola infections in Guinea during the 2014 outbreak
are believed to have been contracted via unprotected (or unsuitably protected) contact
with infected corpses during certain Guinean burial rituals.
Symptoms of Ebola virus disease usually begin suddenly with a common cold like
stage, characterized by feeling tired, headaches, and pain in the joints, muscles, and
abdomen. Vomiting, diarrhoea, and loss of appetite are also some other common
symptoms of Ebola.
The average time between contracting the disease and showing the symptoms is 8 to
10 days. Within a week of manifestation of the first symptoms, patient starts bleeding
internally and from nose, gums, gastrointestinal tract, vagina, etc.
Bleeding causes redness of eyes, skin and bloody vomits and results in low blood
platelet count. The disease has a high risk of death, killing between 25% and 90% of
those infected with the virus.
Prevention and Treatment
At present, no Ebola virus specific treatment has been approved and the post infection
care is mainly supportive in nature. However, early stage detection and proper
supportive care with rehydration and symptomatic treatment can improve the chances
of survival of the patient.
Enforced isolation of the infected persons, wearing of proper protection gear by the
health workers, providing education/ awareness about the spread of the disease
(physical contact, eating infected meat, early detection and quarantine) and ensuring
the safety of the caretakers of the affected patients can help prevent the further spread
of this deadly disease.
Finally, efforts are underway for producing a vaccine for Ebola, but so far no concrete
results have been achieved. At the moment the doctors and scientists across the world
appear to look helpless against the killer virus and are literally propagating; prevention
is better than cure.

Ebola - The Killer Virus

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ebola - The Killer Virus

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ebola - The Killer Virus

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ebola: The Killer Virus

You might also like