Deadly Ebola: what you need to know to survive In a world of growing panic over the threat of a deadly epidemic of Ebola. Actually, this disease was discovered for the first time in 1976, during an outbreak in Zaire and Sudan. But until now its habitat were swampland Equatorial Africa and nearby places. But now there were cases of disease and in Hong Kong, and the United States. However, the last one can speak only conditionally - as two American patients were taken to hospitals of the country from Africa quite consciously, under strict medical supervision and for better treatment. What is worrying, even a little related to medicine audience? First of all, this is a high mortality rate during infection of Ebola. If in Sudan 38 years ago, about half of the patients died, then in Zaire 91%! Second pessimistic point - specific treatment of Ebola virus does not exist. Ebola - a virus against which antibiotics do not work by definition. The only thing that can save the patient - its own immune system, gradually accumulating protective antibodies. Unfortunately, a sufficient level of these antibodies is achieved on average after two weeks - while the majority of patients die in the second week. Regarding support more rapid immune response may have except that interferon - a universal protein antiviral defense against any pathogens that group. Why Ebola dangerous? The main cause of death in this disorder are massive bleeding - nasal, lung, gastrointestinal tract, genital tract infections in women. Generally, the clinical manifestations of Ebola resemble those of the flu - fever, headache, muscle aches. And just like the flu, the virus affects African vessels that provokes bleeding. Furthermore, there is affected directly and liver, which produces most of the coagulation factors - which as a result leads to massive DIC (disseminated intravascular coagulation). Translated, it means a tricky word that blood clots elsewhere first scoring small capillaries thrombi, and then due to the depletion of clotting begin not less massive bleeding. The only thing that can save the patient - its own immune system, gradually accumulating protective antibodies. Unfortunately, sufficient antibody levels achieved in two weeks, while the majority of patients die in the second week In principle, modern medicine treats these states quite successfully. But this requires, as a minimum, a well-equipped resuscitation. However, for patients with Ebola resuscitation should be special, contagious. Where the staff must have experience and special vigilance in terms of avoidance of their own infection. After a malicious virus is very contagious and can get a person through food, fine cracks of the skin, mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, eyes. A Zaire subtype of Ebola, and is able to transmit through droplets, causing a particular danger. In nature, the source of the virus are primates (monkeys) and rodents. So, roughly speaking, to Ukraines disease hypothetically can get only by the arrival of infected people. Unless, of course, is not considered exotic, like buying new Ukrainians smuggled African monkeys or rats. But the incubation period after infection with Ebola virus before its clinical manifestations is capable of up to 3 weeks. What makes it very difficult to quarantine - to keep a lot of people in isolation twenty days is very expensive. Ebola is dangerous, but not very contagious? Nevertheless, nowadays, unlike, say, the global panic about the recent swine flu (and even earlier - bird), the official medical services of the same United States show little concern. Moreover, despite the discovery of the virus was almost 40 years ago, has hitherto not been developed against it effective vaccine. Why is the world so blatant Medicine showed negligence? Most likely, just because - game is not worth the candle. Create a new vaccine is worth a lot of money. Meanwhile, in the same Zaire and Sudan, although the mortality reached 90% of the patients, but the total number of cases was only 2-3 hundred people in each case. Figures - by orders of magnitude smaller than from the normal seasonal influenza. Interesting point - in 7% of the population of Sudan and Zaire in the same back in 1976 had antibodies to the Ebola virus. In this connection were made quite logical conclusion that the disease may be mild or even latent form. In fact, as with any other infectious disease, including the same flu. Mortality from influenza among hospitalized in the infectious department with a well established laboratory diagnosis also comes to imposing percent. Just on this background are thousands of times more people suffer from the same virus, while successfully treating the cold folk methods. Or, at worst, bacterial complications - Easy antibiotics. Significant optimistic moment - the subtype of Ebola that caused the current outbreak in Guinea and Sierra Leone is not transmitted by airborne droplets. That is, in the care of such patients to wear Anti akin suit spacesuit, with a separate air supply system, not necessarily, although the mask and not hurt. By and large, the care of such patients is not very different from that in AIDS, a number of secondary syphilis and other infectious diseases, which do not require such absolute security. Well, wash your hands, make sure that the skin was not sores, avoid contact with saliva or vomit in the eyes or nose does not hurt in any way - not only in the fight against the formidable African virus. Ebola: vigilance needed - but do not panic Finally, the hemorrhagic fever - not so exotic to the United States, Europe, and Ukraine too. The name of one of them, Crimean-Congo, transmitted by ticks, with a mortality of up to 50% speaks for itself. Well, almost a twin brother Ebola is a virus called Marburg - the name of the German town where he caused an outbreak in the distant 1967. In this case, as we see, and he Marburg, Germany, and Europe as a whole is still not only not extinct from the new plague, but live and very flourishing. So close borders, hanging locks on airports and railway stations due to Ebola, no one will. That, of course, does not mean the admissibility of some of indifference to really mortal danger to the African virus. For Ukrainians, it means, at a minimum, the rejection of shapkozakidatelskih attitudes toward some sort of colds. So far, thank God, we have a doctor you can call home for free - so it must be used with any fever. And then, in the end, can unexpectedly run into and Ebola with its 90% mortality in the hard-running cases. Besides the usual influenza pneumonia, meningitis or renal failure will cost the fans maybe will itself very expensive - including, in purely financial terms, having to buy a very expensive medication.
Posted on: Tue, 04 Nov 2014 09:51:17 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015