......EBOLA VIRUS..... What is it? Key facts: Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans. EVD outbreaks have a case fatality rate of up to 90%. EVD outbreaks occur primarily in remote villages in Central and West Africa, near tropical rainforests. The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission. Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are considered to be the natural host of the Ebola virus. Severely ill patients require intensive supportive care. No licensed specific treatment or vaccine is available for use in people or animals. History: Ebola first appeared in 1976 in 2 simultaneous outbreaks, in Nzara, Sudan, and in Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo. The latter was in a village situated near the Ebola River, from which the disease takes its name. Genus Ebolavirus is 1 of 3 members of the Filoviridae family (filovirus), along with genus Marburgvirus and genus Cuevavirus. Genus Ebolavirus comprises 5 distinct species: Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV) Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) Reston ebolavirus (RESTV) Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV) Taï Forest ebolavirus (TAFV). BDBV, EBOV, and SUDV have been associated with large EVD outbreaks in Africa, whereas RESTV and TAFV have not. The RESTV species, found in Philippines and the People’s Republic of China, can infect humans, but no illness or death in humans from this species has been reported to date. Causes: Ebola hemorrhagic fever (Ebola fever) is caused by a virus belonging to the family called Filoviridae. Scientists have identified five types of Ebola virus. Four have been reported to cause disease in humans: Ebola-Zaire virus, Ebola-Sudan virus, Ebola-Ivory Coast virus, and Ebola-Bundibugyo. The human disease has so far been limited to parts of Africa. The Reston type of Ebola virus has recently been found in the Philippines. The disease can be passed to humans from infected animals and animal materials. Ebola can also be spread between humans by close contact with infected body fluids or through infected needles in the hospital. Symptoms During the incubation period, which can last about 1 week (rarely up to 2 weeks) after infection, symptoms include: Arthritis Backache (low-back pain) Chills Diarrhea Fatigue Fever Headache Malaise Nausea Sore throat Vomiting Late symptoms include: Bleeding from eyes, ears, and nose Bleeding from the mouth and rectum (gastrointestinal bleeding) Eye swelling (conjunctivitis) Genital swelling (labia and scrotum) Increased feeling of pain in the skin Rash over the entire body that often contains blood (hemorrhagic) Roof of mouth looks red There may be signs and symptoms of: Coma Disseminated intravascular coagulation Shock Exams and Tests Tests used to diagnose Ebola fever include: CBC Electrolytes Tests of how well the blood clots (coagulation studies) Liver function tests Tests to show whether someone has been exposed to the Ebola virus (virus-specific antibodies) Treatment There is no known cure. Existing medicines that fight viruses (antivirals) do not work well against Ebola virus. The patient is usually hospitalized and will most likely need intensive care. Supportive measures for shock include medications and fluids given through a vein. Bleeding problems may require transfusions of platelets or fresh blood. Prevention Avoid areas in which there are epidemics. Wear a gown, gloves, and mask around sick patients. These precautions will greatly decrease the risk of transmission.
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 04:38:12 +0000
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