Colorado Springs Ebola Virus

First discovered in the 1970’s, the ebola virus was contained to West Africa (“About Ebola Virus Disease”). Villagers’ diets consisted primarily of the resources readily available. Among these resources were fruit, vegetables, and animals, namely monkeys. Monkeys carried the ebola virus, and when people ate them, without proper cleaning and cooking techniques, they became infected. Ebola, formally known as Zaire Ebola Virus, is transmitted through bodily fluids like saliva, blood, semen, breast milk, mucus, sweat, tears, feces and urine. ("Ebola in West Africa."). Since it was introduced to a third world country, where hygiene is not regarded as important as survival. Without education, protection and segregated sewage, the virus began to spread. In days people were dying after spreading the virus to those closest to them (Waterman). The bodies, though dead, were still harboring the virus and

The control monkeys were never injected with the Ebola virus; they were placed across the room from the sick monkeys. After the control monkeys were found to be infected with Ebola it was proposed that “Ebola drifted across a room. Most likely the control monkeys inhaled it into their lungs” (Preston 93-94). Finding out that Ebola was possibly spread through the air posed as a large problem as Karl Johnson explained to Preston in an interview, “If Ebola had spread through the air, the world would be a very different place today… It would have been exceedingly difficult to contain that virus if it had had any major respiratory component” (Preston 121). The Ebola strain that Johnson encountered appeared to not be spread through the air, however there is substantial evidence that other strains are. “In 2012 Canadian researchers found that Ebola Zaire, which is involved in the current outbreak, was passed from pigs to monkeys in the air” (Cohen 1). Ebola is aggressive enough that some researchers believe it is able to enter a person’s bloodstream through a small scrape (Preston 142-143). Ebola was actually spread by medical staff in some areas such as the Yambuku Hospital where nuns used five needles a day for hundreds of their patients. This mixed blood and gave Ebola the opportunity to spread (Preston 102). It

The filovirus Ebola consists of 4 families: Marburg, Ebola Zaire, Ebola Sudan, and Ebola Reston. It is a rather simple virus in structure; each contain a single strand RNA strand and 7 different proteins, 3 which are only slightly understood and 4 that are completely unknown. The virus harms the immune system like the HIV virus, but Ebola causes an explosive attack. The virus is associated with the measles and mumps family, pneumonia viruses, parainfluenza viruses which include colds, and respiratory system related viruses. Unlike common viruses which are ball-shaped, Ebola’s shape represents that similar to a shepherd’s crook, a long snake-like thread that looks like a worm. Because the Ebola virus has a distinct structure, it has been classified as a “thread virus” in its own family of viruses, the filoviruses.

Ebola is described by the author in deep detail telling the progression of which it goes through. It starts with a headache and backache and ends with all of your internal organs failing “bleeding out” like Charles Monet. There are four filoviruses: Ebola virus (EBOV), Sudan virus (SUDV), Marburg virus (MARV), and Ravn virus (RAVV). They are all Level 4 biohazard, which means they are extremely dangerous to humans especially because they are so infectious, have a high death rate, and there are no medicines, treatments, or cures.

Ebola Zaire, arguably the deadliest known virus strain on earth, held a mortality rate up to ninety percent in the past, and is the hottest type of Ebola Viral Diseases. In addition, there are four other types of Ebola species: Ebola Sudan, Ebola Ivory Coast, Bundibugyo ebolavirus, and Ebola Reston. Notably, the earliest of Ebola outbreaks being from Ebola Sudan and Ebola Zaire, both erupted during 1976 in Africa. Previously known as the Ebola haemorrhagic fever, these virus are known to cause tremors and convulsions in its host, resulting in the splattering of blood which is used as its strategy for transmission. Other ways of contracting Ebola is through contact with patient’s bodily fluids and aerosolized secretions in the air. Furthermore, the novel The Hot Zone written by Richard Preston, along with online sources from Gale’s database also indicates that virus outbreaks are partly aided through factors such as close

Ebola is one of the most deadly diseases known to man. The mortality rate of Ebola ranges from 25% to 90% (World Health Organization [WHO], 2014; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2010; Cowart, 2014). There is no cure for Ebola and no vaccine to prevent its spread (WHO, 2014; CDC, 2010; Cowart, 2014). The virus itself is spreads between organisms through bodily fluids, such as blood and vomit, which are shed by an infected individual (WHO, 2014; CDC, 2010). These fluids typically carry a large viral load, or number of cells that harbor the virus (WHO, 2014; CDC, 2010). The virus is spread when infectious bodily fluids come into contact with mucous membranes (WHO, 2014; CDC, 2010). As such, infection can occur when infectious fluids enter a cut, enter intravenously, or encounter mucous membranes, such as the eyes, nose, or mouth (WHO, 2014; CDC, 2010).

Ebola Virus is a serious transmitted disease by both humans and animals. The disease first appeared in 1976 in 2 simultaneous outbreaks, one in Nzara, Sudan, and the other in Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo. The latter occurred in a village near the Ebola River, from which the virus received its name. Ebola Virus is a member of the negative stranded RNA viruses known as filoviruses. There are currently, five different strains of the Ebola Virus including, Zaire (EBOV), Sudan (SUDV), Bundibuguyo (BDBV), Taï Forest (TAFV) and Reston (RESTV). Each of the strains of the virus are very closely related including Reston which only effects animals. Yet, Ebola Zaire is the most highly virulent subtype, often leading to death. All of the different types of the virus are extremely dangerous and often cause death if untreated.

Finding the initial source of the outbreak was important to scientists to create prevention strategies in the future and better understand the start of the outbreak. Through retrospective studies, an 18 month-old boy was found to be the first suspected case and was seen playing in a tree that was later found to be the home of many bat species that are known reservoirs for the EBOV. The first case of Ebola in Sierra Leone was a young woman in May 2014 and her infection was traced back to a traditional healer from her village, whom was well known in Sierra Leone as well as Guinea for her healing powers and was called to help heal Ebola patients. Humans are typically infected with EBOV through contact with bodily fluids of infected animals or other humans, or through the consumption of meat of an infected animal. In the past, geography hindered the spread, as those infected were in rural settings where the EBOV only came into contact with limited numbers of people, but the West Africa outbreak had epicenters in cities where the virus could spread more easily in density populated slums. EBOV can be found in a number of human secretions during the acute phase of infection, such as saliva, feces, semen, breast milk, tears, nasal secretions, and blood. In the urban slums, there is a much

For humans, Ebola is a viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the ebolaviruses. The virus is from the Filoviridae family. “Ebola is introduced into the human population through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals such as chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys, forest antelope, and porcupines found ill or dead or in the rainforest. Ebola then spreads through human-to-human transmission via direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and with surfaces and materials (e.g. bedding, clothing) contaminated with

The Ebola virus is one of few viruses labelled into the haemorrhagic fever Filoviridae and is classified as an RNA viral fever. Consequently, word filo originates from the Latin meaning threadlike which structurally explains the physical appearance. (Weissenhorn, W. Dessen. A Calder, L. Harrison, S. Skehel, Wiley, D. C. Molecular, 1999). Due to the highly pathogenic nature of the virus, the Filoviridae is associated with two main species; the Marburg-like virus and the Ebola-like virus. The Ebola virus is

to person. Ebola cannot spread through air, water, or food. Viruses like Ebola with minimal

In 1976, Ebola was first discovered near Ebola River what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Also, Ebola viruses are found in several African countries and it spread sporadically in Africa. Natural reservoir host of Ebola is still unknown, and researchers believe that the virus is mostly animal-borne. When an infection occurs in human, it can be passed from person to person through contaminated bodily fluids. The CDC states that Ebola is not airborne, or spread by water, or food. Several symptoms and signs that you could have an Ebola virus and it may appear after 2 to 21 days of exposure to Ebola virus. Symptoms of Ebola include: Fever, muscle pain, vomiting, weakness, abdominal pain, fatigue, and internal or external hemorrhage. Because there’s no available FDA-approved vaccine or medication, Ebola is treated as they

The theme of all the articles I have read has all resulted in devastating effects of the rare and deadly Ebola virus that has affected the human body. Ebola disease is transmitted by contact with body fluids, blood, and tissues of animals or even people who have been infected with the disease. Also, Ebola can be spread through bedding, needles, clothing or medical equipment. Researchers believe that the virus originates from infected fruit bats. But, they believe that the Ebola virus moves in populations with animals for example monkeys, apes, and antelopes. People in Africa commonly ate these kinds of animals and, if a person would have had cut their hand opens well holding a piece of meat the virus would be immediately be transmitted into the

Fear, whether it is real or imagine, it can paralyze a human being. Although it was unethical to confine patients at Carville, it was the done for the goods for majority of the population. This disease was probably never seen before and when it erupted it set in fear in the citizens. Take for example take the outbreak of Ebola in the United States in October 2014. Couple of healthcare worker from Texas were isolated and moved to a different place until they recovered. New case of diagnosed Ebola raised concerns and instilled fear in people. Even currently we do the same thing, don’t we? When a patient comes in with a “certain sets” of symptoms that we think can be spread within the population we isolate that patient until either they are cured

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?