Ebola Virus

Ebola virus was first found within the Ebola River in the Congo, of which it named after. Ebola first appeared in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreaks, in Nzara, Sudan, and in Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Outbreaks often occur in remote villages near rainforests, so the disease typically does not spread far, and so far has only affected Africa, mainly the western and central regions.

The Ebola virus causes severe VHF (viral haemorrhagic fever), which affects many organs throughout the body, so is known as a multisystem syndrome. VHF particularly affects the vascular system, and therefore the body’s ability to regulate itself is impaired. Research shows that it also causes low counts of platelets and white blood cell. The symptoms can be very severe and life threatening, including internal bleeding or bleeding underneath the skin.  However initial symptoms include fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. Then the secondary symptoms are caused by kidney and liver impairment which cause the internal bleeding but more commonly, vomiting, diarrhoea and rashes begin to appear.  

The transmission of the virus is first from animals to humans by direct contact with blood, secretions, organs or bodily fluids of the infected animal. It is secondly past from human to human by similar contact of blood, secretions and bodily fluid of the infected human.  People can cause transmission as long as their blood or secretions are infected with the Ebola Virus. Within Africa it is believed transmission from animals to humans is due to close contact with monkeys, antelopes, chimpanzees, fruit bats or porcupines.  Furthermore the direct contact transmission from person to person can be due to infected semen, close contact with infected deceased during burial. Another example is in the healthcare industry because within less economically developed countries, such as those in Africa there are not sufficient sterile precautions and an inadequate protection barrier.  Examples of these include lack of gloves or goggles which can lead to direct exposure with the infected patient’s blood.

Many patients infected with the Ebola virus can be diagnosed with malaria, typhoid fever, shigellosis, cholera, leptospirosis, plague, rickettsiosis, relapsing fever, meningitis, hepatitis and other VHFs. Although the Ebola virus can be distinguished with further blood tests, due to it causing elevated liver enzymes, henceforth an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) can be carried out.   However There is currently no treatment or vaccine available to treat humans or animal, therefore unfortunately it cannot be cured or prevented. The Lack of cure drives fatality rates up to 90% of those infected with the virus. The healthcare provided is often intensive rehydration with fluids containing electrolytes.

References:

http://www.bmj.com/content/310/6991/1344

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/mnpages/dispages/vhf.htm

http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/viral-haemorrhagic-fevers#