Ebola Virus and Its Corresponding Ailment: An Overview
Ebola is a serious and deadly virus that has been transmitted to humans primarily from animals such as chimpanzees, forest antelopes, gorillas, monkeys, and porcupines. The virus, which belongs to the viral family Filoviridae, was initially detected in 1976 in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The virus can be transmitted via blood, diarrhea, breast milk, feces, saliva, semen, sweat, urine, vomit, and can occur via the eyes, nose, mouth, broken skin, or sexual contact. Transmission can also occur via contact with contaminated objects such as clothing or needles, and initially, it is believed that bats or fruit bats transmitted the virus to humans.
Ebola symptoms typically appear within 8 to 10 days after exposure, but can appear as early as two days or take as long as three weeks. Symptoms include extreme fatigue, diarrhea, fever, headache, muscle pain, stomach pain, unexplained bleeding or bruising, and vomiting. Blood tests for Ebola can reveal unusually low or high white blood cell counts, low platelet counts, elevated liver enzymes, abnormal coagulation factor levels.
Healthcare workers and lab technicians must take precautions when coming in contact with infected persons or their belongings. They must isolate people with Ebola, wear protective gowns, gloves, masks, and eye shields, and follow careful protocol and disposal of these protective materials for infection prevention.
At present, there is no cure or vaccine for Ebola. Supportive care measures such as managing electrolyte balances, providing extra oxygen, preventing dehydration, treating coexisting infections, and administering blood products if indicated can be taken. The CDC estimates that Ebola survivors have antibodies to the virus for about 10 years, but this does not necessarily mean they are immune to getting an infection.
Further research is being done to help prevent future outbreaks, and as of April 2015, the WHO reports that two possible vaccines are being tested for human safety.
Individuals can protect against Ebola by avoiding contact with blood and body fluids, practicing careful hand hygiene, refraining from engaging in burial rituals that involve handling the body of a person who died from Ebola, wearing protective clothing around wildlife, and refraining from handling items a person with Ebola has handled. Cleaning crews should use a bleach solution to clean floors and surfaces that may have come in contact with the Ebola virus.
It's important to note that Ebola can't be transmitted through the air or by touch alone; transmission requires direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. The average fatality rate for a person infected with Ebola is 50 percent, but the earlier the infection is diagnosed, the better the outlook for infected patients.
If you've come in contact with or provided care to someone diagnosed with Ebola or handled infected animals and have any symptoms, you should seek immediate medical attention. Until a vaccine is available, it's important to be on your guard to avoid the spread of Ebola.
