A Brief Note On The Outbreak Of Ebola

In late 2013, Ebola virus disease (EVD), a deadly and lethal disease, remerged in West Africa spreading to various countries in the region. In humans, the disease is spread through contact with infected bodily fluids leading to haemorrhagic fever (World Health Organization [WHO], 2015). Originating in 1976 in equatorial Africa, past outbreaks with a few hundred cases had been contained within rural, forested areas in Uganda and Congo (Piot, 2012). In 2014, a total of 20, 206 cases and 7,905 deaths were reported to have occurred in up to eight countries worldwide. Of all cases and deaths resulting from the disease, 99.8% occurred in three neighbouring West African countries - Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea (WHO, 2014). With a case fatality rate from about 50% to 90%, and the absence of preventative or curative therapies, the Ebola epidemic has led to overall global alarm and further elucidated existing global health disparities that perpetuated the epidemic with these West African countries.

In 2014 the United States was hit with a force far more deadly and dangerous than many threats received. The ebola virus took the world by storm after it was carried to the United States and spread by people who had visited West Africa. This virus was all the more deadly as it often took hours for any symptoms to occur. In this time the Center for Disease Control spent much time and many resources looking for answers to the many questions they had. Under the time constraint and scrutinizing public, they had to determine what ebola was, what it did and its effects on the general public.

Although Ebola caught the world’s attention during the 1995 outbreak in Zaire, the first outbreak occurred in 1976. As the chart below displays, 71% of the people infected died as a result of Ebola during this first outbreak (Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 56 (2): 247-270, 1978). With the current outbreak, this ratio has dramatically decreased as a result of scientific research leading to early detection, but the current infected population is more than 20 times the amount of any previous outbreak and this number continues to grow as no vaccine exists to prevent the disease.

As with any infectious disease, whether it originates from a virus, bacterium, or fungi, there is the possibility that it will become an epidemic. For centuries, deadly diseases have threatened to infect and possibly eradicate mankind. The Ebola virus, which causes an extremely fatal hemorrhagic fever, is considered to be one of the most aggressive contagions in the world. The Ebola virus is a member of a family of RNA viruses known as, “Filoviridae” and is composed of multiple distinct subspecies (Bausch et al. 2007). It causes Ebola Virus Disease, a fairly new disease that plagues multiple poor countries within Africa. The virus mainly attacks the lymphatic system, but also severely damages the reproductive and reticuloendothelial systems. The Ebola virus disease causes muscle pain, weakness, limited kidney and liver function and extreme blood loss due to failure of blood clotting.

America is suddenly at risk. Others think that since the disease is in Africa then it will stay in Africa. The Ebola virus has transferred to American by doctors who have helped others in Africa. We are trying to keep the Ebola virus to stop spreading in Africa. The doctors, after killing the disease temporarily, come back to America. Ebola is highly contagious, contaminating those in

(Ebola 2) The factsheet states that, “on August 8, the WHO Director-General declared this outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.” (Ebola 2) While that may have been alarming, as of October the virus has made its way to the United States claiming the life of the only diagnosed victim known to have the virus. Various news channels have stated that it is unknown how many people in the U.S. have been exposed, however only time will tell. The WHO doesn’t give an expected time frame of how long it will take to contain the virus, however it is expected to take a year to a year and a half. Eighteen months could pass with potentially twenty thousand victims dying every month, that is over a quarter of a million potential deaths that could occur in attempt to control the

This viral disease is very rare which causes severe bleeding and 90 percent in deaths of those who are infected. Ebola showed up without warning in the late 2000 in the northern district of Gulu in Uganda, Africa. Health care workers separated patients from others so they wouldn’t spread and get worse. There are 40 people that died in the first wave of the epidemic. The virus killed 224 people then out of nowhere it stopped and seems to have gone back into the jungle, this was in February 2001. There is a lot we still don’t know about the Ebola virus but the scientists began to piece of the things they don’t know together. The virus was discovered in the Democratic Republican of Congo in 1976. There are four different types of Ebola viruses. They are all named from where they are discovered at: Ebola – Zaire, Ebola – Sudan, Ebola – Ivory Coast, and Ebola – Reston. In 1989, the United States the Ebola – Reston virus was found in Reston, Virginia. There were sick monkeys imported from Philipines to a research lab. Some lab workers showed signs of the virus in the blood but didn’t become ill. Still don’t know where the virus is coming frombut think it resides in rain forests of Africa and Asia. The Ebola virus might as well be animal borne passed to primates like monkeys and apes and humans by another

Over the years man has been confronted with many trials and hurdles, but Zika and Ebola virus are the definitely the most notable of the modern times. Generally we come up with very clever solutions to medical problems, after all, we have had many years of experience. Zika is a subtle, easily transmitted, virus first found in monkeys living in Uganda in 1947. It was then found in humans in 1952, and spreading to South America starting the largest outbreaks in modern times. This virus is present in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and the Pacific. Ebola, on the other hand, is a whole different ballgame. The symptoms are violent and set on fairly quickly. First discovered in 1976, Ebola has made headlines only recently. “We shouldn't forget that this

The Ebola epidemic is a viral disease that spreads very quickly and has high mortality rate. The outbreak is actually an international disaster at the moment and has created a lot of tension worldwide (Spark, 2015). Presently the epidemic is ongoing in most of West Africa countries with Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea being the most badly hit. The epidemic has been reported in Nigeria, Mali, United States, Senegal and Spain too (World Bank, 2015). However, the epidemic has been maintained in most of the countries except in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea where Ebola is yet to be controlled. It is worth noting that other countries especially African countries are at a high risk of reporting cases of Ebola making governments from all parts of the world to remain alert (The World Bank, 2014).

The symptoms of Ebola are a fever, headache, joint and muscle aches, vomiting, stomach pain, sore throat, diarrhea, weakness and occasionally read eyes, rashes, hiccups, and internal and external bleeding and since these symptoms are not specific to Ebola, it is difficult to clinically diagnose and can often be confused with other viruses. The ELISA testing, short for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and virus isolation are a couple of examples of the types of laboratory testing that can be done to diagnose and Ebola patient. Because of how easily it can be transmitted, it is extremely difficult to treat and there is no approved, official treatment. As of now, there is not standard treatment but usually the patients are given fluids and oxygen, have their blood pressure monitored and other necessary treatment. To prevent transmission and spreading the virus, the doctors use extreme caution and wear head to toe protective gear and isolate the patient. Even though the Ebola virus is common in Africa, there has been no known outbreak in the United States. Another difficulty facing scientists and the treatment for Ebola is that the natural reservoir for the virus unknown. The natural reservoir of a virus is it’s long term host of the

According to Cullinane and Park, “Hundreds of people are dead as the worst Ebola virus outbreak in history sweeps through West Africa” (Cullinane & Park, 2014, para. 1). Spread of the potential health crisis known as Ebola can be decelerated by understanding it, learning how to treat it, and quarantining. The Ebola virus causes a high-risk hemorrhagic fever that affects multiple organ systems in the body and is often accompanied by bleeding (Cullinane & Park, 2014, What is Ebola? section, para. 1). Medecins Sans Frontiers (2014) says, “It is a highly infectious virus that can kill up to 90 percent of the people who catch it” (“Ebola Emergency”, n.d.). Clearly, Ebola is a catastrophic virus which has gathered a lot of attention. Slowing the

There is no doubt that some of the most feared organisms on this planet are invisible to the human eye. People are both fearful and fascinated by how such tiny microorganisms, such as viruses, can cause the decimation of whole populations of both humans and various animals. At the current moment, the worst outbreak of the Ebola virus that has ever happened is occurring in West Africa. This disease is so frightening because it can quickly result in a terrible, agonizing death of any unfortunate soul that has become infected. This specific virus can quite literally cause the liquefaction of the organs within the human body. As Ebola takes hold of many villages and towns in West Africa, surrounding countries are scrambling to send supplies and aid workers in an attempt to stop the spread of such a lethal virus. The Ebola virus first made its way to the United States this past October, sending many U.S. citizens in to a state of hysteria out of fear that an Ebola epidemic will occur on American soil. As the death toll of the recent outbreak keeps rising steadily, only time will tell if the virus can be stopped in its track before spreading across the globe to infect inhabitants in all corners of the world.

Ebola Virus causes an acute, serious illness which is often fatal if it is not treated, the virus first appeared in 1976 in 2 simultaneous outbreaks. One in which is now Nzara, South of Sudan, and the other in Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo. It occurred in a village near the Ebola River, this is where the disease got its name. The current outbreak in West Africa was notified in March 2014, and this is the largest and most complex Ebola outbreak there was since it was discovered in 1976. There have been more cases and deaths in this outbreak than all others combined, it has also spread in countries like Guinea, then spreading to Land borders in Sierra Leon and Liberia. By air 1 traveler to Nigeria and 1 traveler to USA, and by land to Senegal was 1 traveler, and 2 travelers to Mali who caught Ebola.

Ebola Virus Disease was given it 's name from the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The disease first appeared in 1976 in two outbreaks occurring simultaneously. One occurred in South Sudan and the other in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In the Democratic Republic of Congo it took place in a village near the Ebola River, hence its name. The most current outbreak in occurring in West Africa. Reports say that it is the most complex and largest outbreak since it first appeared. This current outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease has had more deaths than all other appearances of the disease combined. The most effected countries include Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. These countries have weakened health systems and very limited resources. With limited resources it makes it extremely difficult to stop the spread of such diseases. Therefore, Ebola appears in mainly in underdeveloped counties with limited resources and weak health systems.

Normally infecting fruit bats, the Ebola virus found a mutation allowing it to spread to humans. This virus is an acute and often fatal illness. This virus first erupted in two outbreaks in 1976 (one occurring in Nzara and Sudan, while the other occurred in a village near the Ebola river, where the virus takes its name.) The current outbreak, starting in West Africa with the potential to spread throughout the world,  is  larger and more complex than previous outbreaks. This virus has caused more deaths than all other past Ebola outbreaks combined. With approximately five people infected with the virus every hour in Sierra Leone alone, how far – and how fast – will the Ebola virus go?