Ebola
Description of the pathogen
Ebola virus of the filoviridae family, order mononegavirales. The virus is responsible for Ebola hemorrhagic fever (Ebola HF), and it is fatal if not treated. Ebola virus disease average fatality rate varies from 25% to 90%. Ebola was first recognized in 1976 in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa. Ebola virus genus consists of six species; Zaire, Tai Forest, Sudan, Bombali, Bundibugyo, and Reston (World Health Organization). The virus is transmitted between people through direct contact with saliva, blood, and other body fluids of an infected person. The symptoms of Ebola occur from two to twenty-one days after contact with an infected person or animals like fruit bat, monkeys, and chimpanzees.
Nature of Ebola
Ebola is a fatal disease caused by Ebola virus. The disease is transmitted through direct contact with blood, saliva, excretions, and the skin of on infected person or the body of an individual who died from the disease. The symptoms of the infection begin to show from two to twenty-one days after exposure. The initial symptoms of Ebola include sore throat, headache, muscle and joint aches, fever, loss of appetite, stomach discomfort, and weakness. As the illness gets more severe, other symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, impaired liver and kidney function, rash, and internal and external bleeding (Malvy, 20). The symptoms of Ebola virus infection are diagnosed through various diagnostic methods such as reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay, antibody-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and serum neutralization among others.
The first cases of Ebola virus infection were reported in Sudan and Congo. The two outbreaks were cause by Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV) and Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) respectively. Another outbreak occurred in DRC in 1995 and 254 people were killed and 315 were infected. In 2000, another major outbreak was witnessed in Uganda affecting 425 and killed 224. Subsequent outbreaks occurred in 2007 in Congo, and Uganda. The World Health Organization also confirmed other two outbreaks in Uganda in 2012, 31 people were affected and twenty-one died (World Health Organization). Other cases have been reported in 2014-2016 in West Africa, and in 2017-2019 in DRC.
Epidemiology of Ebola
The risk of contracting Ebola virus infection is generally low for people outside Ebola infested regions. Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with an infected person or their body fluids. Ebola can also be transmitted through contact with fruit bats, chimpanzees, antelopes, and monkeys which are infected with ebolavirus (Malvy, 15). The infection can also be transmitted via objects that are contaminated with body fluids of and infected person or the corpse of a person who died from Ebola Virus. People who are a greater risk of getting Ebola are family and friends who care for an infected person, healthcare workers, and animal researchers handling fruit bats and primates from Ebola infested area. People participating in burial rites of people who died of Ebola and laboratory personnel who deal with body fluids of Ebola virus patient are also at a higher risk of getting Ebola.
Treatment and prevention of Ebola
Ebola virus does not yet have a proven treatment. However, it has been contained and managed through various supportive care interventions such as treatment of specific symptoms and rehydration with intravenous fluids. The symptoms of Ebola are managed with fluids and electrolytes, blood transfusion, blood pressure medications, and oxygen. Ebola can be prevented through a vaccine known as rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine (World Health Organization). Spread can be prevented by practicing quarantine, wearing protective equipment when handling Ebola patients, and reducing animal contact and avoiding wild meat. Healthcare workers should also take precautions when handling patients by maintaining hand and respiratory hygiene. Ebola can also be controlled through practicing safe burial for people who died of Ebola, social mobilization, and surveillance and contact tracing.
Works Cited
World Health Organization, Ebola virus disease. 10, Feb 2020 https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ebola-virus-disease
Malvy, Denis, et al. “Ebola virus disease.” The Lancet (2019).