Lets Stop Ebola

 The West African Ebola outbreak, spanning from 2014 to 2016, stands as one of the most harrowing public health crises in recent history. This outbreak was not just about the staggering number of cases, but also about the profound impact on communities, healthcare systems, and the global response to epidemics. Let’s unpack this significant event. The Outbreak: A Sudden Surge The Ebola outbreak in West Africa began quietly in December 2013 in a small village in Guinea. By March 2014, the virus had spread to the capital, Conakry, and soon crossed borders into Liberia and Sierra Leone. This was the first time Ebola had hit these densely populated and highly mobile areas, leading to an unprecedented spread. The Human Toll: Lives Lost and Affected The numbers paint a grim picture: over 28,000 reported cases and more than 11,000 deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). However, these statistics only scratch the surface of the human suffering. Entire families were wiped out,

 Treating Ebola can feel like navigating a storm in the dark, but it's all about shining a light on the right steps. The approach to handling this deadly virus hinges on supportive care, experimental treatments, and prevention strategies. Let's dive into the essentials. Supportive Care: The Backbone of Treatment First and foremost, supportive care is the backbone of treating Ebola. This involves managing symptoms and complications, keeping patients hydrated, and maintaining their oxygen levels and blood pressure. You’re looking at a regimen of fluids, electrolytes, and medications to counteract nausea, pain, fever, and other symptoms. It's a relentless fight to keep the body's functions in balance while the immune system battles the virus. Experimental Treatments: Hope on the Horizon When it comes to experimental treatments, things get a bit more cutting-edge. Several antiviral drugs and therapies have shown promise in fighting Ebola. For instance, Remdesivir , an antiv

For those who are about to travel or are already travelling to Ebola affected countries, World Health Organization (WHO) has listed out the travel advice. Travelers are requested to again consider the necessity of the travel. Since the outbreak of the disease is a very serious issue and the healthcare systems are already weak, travel advice had to be given. Check what your health insurance plan covers. Many health insurance plans do not include Evacuation insurance. Maintain hygiene. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water or carry a hand sanitizer while on the trip. Be careful to not getting in contact with any body fluids or blood of an Ebola infected person. Do not use or touch items used by an infected person. Items such as syringes, towels, mugs etc. should not be handled. Do not come in contact with dead body of the person who died of Ebola. While attending funeral or burial rituals, stay conscious and avoid contact. Do not have sex with a person infected or recove

Sudan in 1976: It was the 1 st outbreak that occurred in Nzara and other nearby areas. 284 cases were reported, out of which 151 victims died. Democratic Republic of Congo (then known as Zaire) in 1976: It reported 318 cases out of which 280 victims died. It took place in areas near Yambuku. Sudan in 1979: This occurred in Nzara and Maridi with 34 cases and 22 deaths. Gabon in 1994: It took place in gold-mining camps in the rain forest in Mékouka. Cases reported were 52 and the number of deaths was 31. Zaire in 1995: It took place in Kikwit and its surrounding areas. 315 people got affected and 254 died. Gabon in 1976: The epidemic took place in Mayibout area and caused 21 deaths out of 37 cases. Gabon in 1996-1997: Occurred in Booué causing 45 deaths out of 60 cases. Uganda in 2000-2001: It occurred in the districts Gulu, Masindi, and Mbarara in Uganda. Cases reported were 425 and 224 deaths were caused. Gabon and Republic of the Congo in 2001-2002: Ebola stroke the border

As the treatment of Ebola has still not been found, there is no antiviral therapy for Ebola virus and no vaccine for Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever or Ebola, the disease has been declared as a potential threat by the U.S. department of Homeland Security. The supportive care provided by the hospitals to patients suffering from Ebola includes blood transfusion, fluid replacement, maintaining a steady blood pressure and treating other symptoms. The isolation of people who are suspected to have been infected by Ebola virus and those who are confirmed victims of the disease is a preventive measure to not let the disease spread. In fact, the suspected patients should be isolated separately from those patients who are confirmed victims. These quarantine measures are taken at the judgement of public health officials. A variety of tools and techniques are available with the healthcare providers to test for Ebola virus and for the diagnosis of EHF. Blood tests to detect the RNA of the virus or to d

The first outbreak of the deadly Ebola disease took place in 1976 first in Sudan, then in Zaire. The disease can be fatal in majority of the cases. It is a viral fever which can get extremely severe in humans and primates. The virus affected around 284 people when it took place for the first time and it took toll over the lives of 53% of its victims. The second time it affected around 318 people and had the highest mortality rate among the viral diseases. The mortality rate was 88% in Zaire. The cause of such deadly disease could not be found as researchers kept trying to find the origin of the virus. In 1989, the third strain of disease, the Ebola Reston (EBOR) was identified for the first time. Monkeys that were imported from Reston were found to be infected with Ebola virus. Till now, Ebola has caused about 4493 deaths and the count of its victims is as high as 8998, according to World Health Organization (WHO). WHO still believes that the numbers can be 2.5 times the numbers that

Ebola is a disease caused by the Ebola virus. Ebola virus belongs to the family Filoviridae . Filoviridae is the only virus family about which scientists know very less. Knowledge about the pathogenesis, the diseases caused by this virus family and the detailed virology is still very less. The recent epidemics have provided a considerable amount of understanding about the filoviruses. The first encounter of biomedical science with virus family Filoviridae took place in 1967 when Marburg virus appeared. Similar course of events were presaged by this virus for Ebola virus. On an average, the incubation period for Ebola Virus disease in humans lasts for 5-9 days though the overall incubation period of Ebola Virus disease in humans ranges from 2 to 21 days. There are three distinct phases in the course of the disease: Generalization phase, early organ phase, late organ phase or convalescence phase depending upon the result of the infection. Generalization phase : This phase begins wit

In 1976, the international community was again alarmed as Ebola virus was discovered as the causative agent of hemorrhagic fever outbreaks in Zaire, now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in Sudan. There were about 300 victims in each outbreak but since the areas in which the outbreak occurred were remote, the virus did not spread on a large extent. The first emergence of Ebola (Ebola Sudan) caused a mortality rate of 53% in its victims. In Sudan, 284 people got infected out of which 151 were killed by Ebola virus called by Sudan Virus or SUDV. The first case identified was of a shopkeeper in a cotton factory on 27 th June in Nzara. The second outbreak took place from Yambuku, Zaire on 26 August 1976 and had mortality rate as high as 88%, which is highest among all Ebola viruses. The causative agent of this outbreak was EBOV, then known as Zaire ebolavirus, which was a different species from that in outbreak in Sudan. The first person who was identified with EBOV in Zair

Ebola virus causes Ebola virus disease (EVD), also known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever or Ebola. The disease caused by the virus is often fatal. The virus gets spread by direct contact with bodily fluids or blood of an infected person or infected animal. The symptoms of the disease are not very clear and the disease initially feels like flu. The symptoms include stomach pain, muscle aches, vomit, diarrhea, unexplained bleeding or bruising and fatigue. As of now, there is no known medication or vaccine which is effective. The scientists are still in the early stages of understanding how the infection caused by Ebola virus can be treated. There are a number of experimental treatments that are being considered for use in cases of Ebola outbreaks. The experimental treatments are under clinical trials. As there is no cure for Ebola and research is still going on for finding one, the experimental treatment carried out by the doctors include a serum that is said to destroy the infected cell

It is very difficult to diagnose Ebola in a person who has been infected by the virus for only a few days. The reason is that the early symptoms like fever are non-specific and are often observed in patients with more common diseases like malaria and typhoid fever. However, once a person has been diagnosed with early symptoms of Ebola, the person should be isolated and it is very important to notify the public health authorities about the case. If a person has come in direct contact with: Bodily fluids or blood of an Ebola infected person who has died Items that were handled by an Ebola infected person and are contaminated with the blood or body fluids of the sick person Semen from a man who has just recovered from Ebola To confirm infection, samples from the patient can be taken and tested. For the symptoms to reach detectable levels, it may take up to three days after the onset of symptoms. Only after the onset of symptoms, most prominent being fever, is the Ebola virus detec

Ebola is a deadly virus which causes severe illness in humans which is often fatal. The virus is rare and it is known to cause internal and external bleeding in humans. The disease is known as Ebola Hemorrhagic fever or Ebola. When the virus spreads in the body, it impacts the organs and causes damage to them as well as to the immune system. As the proverb goes, “Prevention is better than cure”, here are a few steps to be followed for protecting oneself from getting infected with Ebola: While handling animals, wear gloves and other protective clothing. Animal products such as blood and meat should be properly cooked before consumption. This will reduce the risk of transmission of virus from infected fruit bats or monkeys/apes. To reduce the risk of transmission from an Ebola infected person, care should be taken that direct contact with their body fluids is avoided. If you are providing care to ill people, then you should wear gloves and other protective equipment while handling

The virus belongs to the viral family Filoviridae. The origin of the virus is likely from African fruit bats. Since the virus is transmitted from animals to humans, the virus is also called as zootic virus. The virus can also be transmitted from one human to another. The following animals can transmit the Ebola virus: Chimpanzees Forest antelopes Gorillas Monkeys Porcupines Since people may come in contact with these animals, the virus can get transmitted from the blood or any body fluid of these animals. Point to be considered is that the virus gets transmitted only by coming in direct contact with the body fluids of someone who has the virus and not by air or touch alone. Bodily fluids that may carry the virus may be through: blood diarrhea breast milk feces saliva semen sweat urine vomit Virus transmission can take place through eyes, nose, broken skin, mouth or sexual contact. Workers working in healthcare centers often deal with bodily fluids and blood and

Nonessential travel to Ebola affected countries like Guinea and Sierra Leone should be avoided. If travelling is unavoidable, then the following points should be kept in mind- Check what all is covered under your health insurance in case you get ill while on your trip. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends people travelling to Guinea to have full coverage for emergency medical evacuation. Hygiene should be practiced carefully. Hands should be washed frequently with soap and water or using a hand sanitizer. Any kind of contact with body or body fluids such as saliva, urine, vomit, sweat, faeces, semen and breast milk should be avoided. Since contact with body fluids need to be avoided, hence any items that may have come in contact with infected person’s blood or body fluids should not be handled. Participating in burial rituals or funerals should be avoided. No contact with dead bodies should be made. Sexual transmission of Ebola is yet to be studied more

Ebola haemorrhagic fever or Ebola virus Disease commonly known as Ebola is a viral disease caused by the ebolavirus. The ebolavirus gets transmitted from wild animals and gets spread among humans by transmission among one person to another. It is a fatal disease in humans. Major outbreak of the virus has been witnessed in countries like Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Countries that are currently under the effect of Ebola are: Guinea: It was the first country to witness Ebola in the current outbreak in West Africa. World Health Organisation is experiencing a number of challenges like tracing contact and engaging the community. Resistance from the community is being faced and hence measures to control the spread of the virus are getting interfered. Sierra Leone: After the outbreak in Guinea, bordering countries also started getting affected. Sierra Leone was the first among such countries where first case of Ebola occurred in May 2014. Though the cases of the disease started dec

When i heard about the ebola outburst,  more than being worried the first thing that came in to my mind was how it came into existence. Is it human’s or god’s creation? Since the Ebola came into existence, there has been a contradiction about its original. Everyone has a question in their mind that whether God has created it or human themselves. As the origin of the virus is still a mystery people doubt in the creation of GOD. If God has created all the goodness why have he gave such a disease pain and death that can’t be healed or treated? But when we are searching for the answer we need to find out the goodness of God. Viruses are the living parasites that live in the world. Like the other living creations Human animals’ birds, virus is also a part of such amazing creation of God. Not all infectious viruses are spreading harm to the world. There are many which have been used for the good. Life and death is a part of living cycle.

How it came in existence? Ebola is a viral fever that is extremely sever and in most of the case a fatal illness. The disease was first spread in the year 1976, in the places like Sudan and Zaire.It has affected about 284 people in its first outbreak. This led to a mortality rate of around 53%. The second outbreak effected around 318 people with the highest mortality rate of about 88% in the regions of Yambuku and Zaire.  This viral affect was named and Ebola-Zaire (EBOZ). The expertise researchers worked hard to find out the cause of such a severe disease but were unable to find out the actual cause behind the virus. In the year 1989, the Ebola Reston (EBOR) was first identified. This was the third strain of the disease. It was found in the Ebola affected monkey imported in Reston. Facts on Ebola: A per the report of World Health Organization (WHO), the death due to the infection of Ebola is around 4493 and the suspected victims of the disease has exceeded 8998. But WHO still has

The transmission of Ebola is quite smooth. It can spread by fluids of the virus carrier like saliva, excretion or blood to the victims’ body. Among the affected Ebola patients most were found to have handled any gorilla or chimpanzee carcass. The incubation period of an Ebola virus is about 21 days and its effects are for about 10days so the victim cannot carry it far. The virus spreads to the victim body very fast so the patient usually does not get time to go through any kind of treatment. There are around five types of Ebola strains found so far. The first was the EBOV that is Zaire Ebola virus. EBOV was found to have a negative-sense RNA genome. Among the five, the four viruses are most harmful and fatal in nature. Another strain was named as Ebola-Zaire (EBOZ). The Ebola Reston was declared to be the third strain and named as (EBOR). All the strains were discovered in the species of fruit bat, chimpanzees or gorillas. Usually when they come in contact with the human they spread

Overview of Ebola: Ebola is a viral fever that is extremely sever and in most of the case a fatal illness. It is the Filoviridae viral member and found in the family RNA viruses. Ebola name was proposed for this virus as it was first found in the places beside the river Ebola. The fever rapidly starts attacking the endothelial cells, the cells that forms the lining for the blood vessels. Thus disorder in the coagulation of blood is noticed in the affected body. Due to inefficiency in blood coagulation and damage in the blood vessel walls the patient undergoes hypovolemic shocks or drastic drop in blood pressure level. History of Ebola: The disease was first spread in the year 1976, in the places like Sudan and Zaire. The symptoms were hemorrhagic fever. Each viral strains or outbreak affected about 284 people. But due to the remoteness of the place the viral was restricted to within that region and did not spread to larger areas. Else the outbreak could have been more tremendous. T

Ebola is a deeply discussed and heavily debated topic in the health sector. However, the common man remains bereft of the very basic facts of this Ebola . Even something as simple as how the disease is transmitted is unknown to a lay man. Here is a lay down on the facts relating to transmission of Ebola in as simple language as possible. Breakdown of Ebola in Simpler Terms Although, it isn’t easy for everyone to understand medical terms, no matter how good your vocabulary is, one cannot refrain from using some of them when berating the facts of a serious health disorder as Ebola . If one possesses knowledge relating to certain topic then, he or she is duty-bound to share those with his or her fellow beings on the grounds of humanity. Shouldering the same responsibility, this article will try its best to acquaint and familiarise you with everything related to Ebola transmission . The article aims at stopping the outbreak of Ebola at grass root level by meting out important information