The Ebola decease spread from the Ebola virus. The Ebola virus known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever; causes fatal illness to humans. This virus had first found in Southern Sudan on 1976.
The name Ebola virus is originated from the Ebola River in Zaire (now the Democratic republic of Congo). Researchers found that the Ebola decease spread from three species of fruit Bats.
Ebola is not an airborne disease and can only be spread from human population through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals (chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys etc.). At present Ebola is being Out-Of-Control and unfortunately keep growing.
Ebola virus disease (EVD)outbreaks mainly occurred in remote villages in Central Africa, near tropical rainforests, but the most recent outbreak in West Africa has involved major urban as well as rural areas.
The Ebola causing thousands of deaths; devastating fragile healthcare systems and damaging the economies of countries. some of which are still recovering from civil war. The treatment had been tried on humans, but there had been some successful animal studies. Eventually the trial team was given the go-ahead by the doctors
Till now(2014-2015), no licensed treatment; no more licensed vaccines proven to neutralize the virus but a range of blood, immunological and drug therapies are under development.
The infections spread through human in contact with their blood and body fluids. Even semen and breast milk, contain the virus. Men who have recovered from the disease can still transmit the virus through their semen for up to 7 weeks after recovery from illness; also from the breast feeding moms to their Childs.
The symptoms of illness obtained within 2 to 20 days. The sudden fever fatigue, muscle pain, pain in chest, abdomen and joints, headache and sore throat are the main symptoms. Vomiting, diarrhea, shivering, rash, kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding from the gums, and blood in the stools are other symptoms.
The diagnosis of Ebola virus includes ELISA test, Serum neutralization test, RT-PCR test, electron microscopy and virus isolation. Samples from patients are an extreme biohazard risk. Always treat the infected person in emergency department; monitors and treats in intensive care.
The prevention and control reduces the risk of spreading decease. They includes avoiding wildlife and human transmission, human to human transmission, safe burial of deceased bodies, separating the infected person, wearing protection mask by care workers and most of all maintain good hygiene and clean environment.
The disease spread during traditional funeral practices that involve washing the corpse. Burial teams in protective clothing are being dispatched to homes to collect and safely dispose of bodies.
In observation 10,000 reported cases of Ebola; 5,000 people were died. According to World Health Organization (WHO), the real death count two or three times higher. Patients died in 6 to 16 days among 70% of infected people.
The death of health workers is a main risk. At the peak of the outbreak there was insufficient protective clothing for health workers. Many healthcare workers have stayed away from work for fear of the disease, and in Liberia there have been strikes over pay and conditions.
In Geneva on 11 August, three days after Ebola had been officially declared a global emergency. In Africa, the helicopter set down on a small airfield, only a short drive from the biggest Ebola treatment unit ever built. Let’s hope the Scientists move fast to get the decease under control.
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