Signs, Symptoms, and Transmission of Ebola - Essay Example

Ebola Ebola Introduction Ebola is a rare and deadly health condition that occurs when an individual is infected by one strain of the Ebola virus. The disease, which was previously branded as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is known to affect both human beings and nonhuman primates particularly chimpanzees, gorillas and monkeys. More specifically, it is important to note that Ebola is caused by an infection that belongs to the family Filoviridae and genus Ebolavirus. Presently, four species of the identified Ebola virus directly affect humans with the remaining one affecting nonhuman primates. The four species that cause infections in humans include Zaire ebolavirus, Sudan ebolavirus, Tai Forest ebolavirus and Bundibugyo ebolavirus (CDC, n.d). On the other hand, Reston ebolavirus is known to bring about infections among nonhuman primates. Most of the virus species highlighted above are believed to exist in large numbers across several African states, a fact that has been corroborated by the high incidence of the disease in most West African countries. It is imperative to note that the virus was first discovered in 1976, near the Ebola River in the present day Democratic Republic of Congo. According to the CDC, virologists have not yet precisely identified the natural reservoir host of Ebola virus, nonetheless, evidence has overtime pointed towards the fact that the virus is animal borne, with bats being suggested as the most likely reservoir. Signs, Symptoms and Transmission Ebola is generally characterized by fever, severe headache, muscle pain, paleness and lethargy. Similarly, those infected by the virus suffer from unexplained bleeding, abdominal discomfort, nausea and diarrhea. According to the CDC, the symptoms highlighted always appear between two to twenty one days after exposure to the virus, with most of the affected patients likely to show signs of the disease after eight to ten days. Given that researchers have not been able to identify major reservoir host of Ebola virus, virologists have customarily found it challenging to pinpoint the start of Ebola outbreak. Nonetheless, it is believed that the patient zero normally gets into contact with an infected animal such as a bat and a primate or an infected fruit in an incidence termed as a spillover event. Patient to patient transmission normally follows once the virus has infected the patient zero and an outbreak can occur in case the situation is not controlled early enough (CDC, n.d). It is imperative to note that Ebola outbreaks are normally worse in some regions such as Africa when the virus affects primates, for multiple spillover events take place when people touch or eat infected primates. In like manner, it is far-reaching to note that direct contact is the only mechanism through which Ebola spreads among humans. Direct contact among humans can come about when a healthy individual touches the dry skin or the mucous membrane of a person infected by the virus. Contact of body fluids such as breast milk, semen, vomit, saliva, sweat and urine as well as sharing of objects such as needles and syringes can also lead to transmission of Ebola virus. Whereas healthcare providers and family members who take care of infected patients are at higher risk of contracting the virus, it is imperative to note that no evidence has pointed towards insects such as mosquitoes acting as transmission agents of Ebola virus (CDC, n.d). Similarly, Ebola is neither waterborne nor airborne; however, it can spread through food when hunting for bush meat, as is the case in some regions across Africa. Treatment As it stands, the FDA has not approved any medicine or vaccine for treating or preventing Ebola virus and most of the symptoms that accompany the condition are customarily treated as they appear. Healthcare providers normally control Ebola by maintaining both oxygen and blood pressure level within the body and at the same time providing intravenous fluids thereby balancing body electrolytes (CDC, n.d). That notwithstanding, it is important to note that several experimental vaccines and medicines are under development, and that they have not been fully tested to determine their safety and level of efficiency. The aspect of whether an infected individual is likely to recover from Ebola depends on the kind of care that the patient receives as well as the ability of his or her immune system to respond to the virus. Researchers have overtime attested to the fact that an individual who manages to fight the infection normally develops antibodies that can last for a ten-year period or even longer. Nonetheless, it is not clear whether the affected individuals can be immune for life or if they can be infected by a completely different strain of the virus. It is important to note that sections of Ebola survivors have overtime experienced both joints and vision complications and studies to establish the cause of such happenings are still underway. Most Affected Regions In as much as cases of Ebola have in the past been registered in several parts of the world, West African states such as Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone have been the most affected nations, as there was an outbreak of the virus throughout the entire countries. The virus has similarly affected the administrative capitals of Nigeria, Mali, Congo, Uganda and Senegal over the past few years. Ebola in USA Cases of Ebola have been reported in the United States particularly over the last one year, though it is important to note that the stakeholders in the Department of health were on high alert and prevented an outbreak of the virus. The first case was reported in September last year, was confirmed through laboratory procedures and it was established that the patient in question had travelled from Liberia to Texas (CDC). The second and third cases to be reported in October involved healthcare providers who had taken care of the index patient and they were both treated and have since recovered. The last Ebola case to be reported in the US was on October 24th last year and it involved a medical expert who had just returned from Guinea. The patient in question has similarly completely recovered. The Current Outbreak The 2014 Ebola endemic has been described as the worst in history, for it affected numerous states in West Africa (CDC). There were minor number of incidences reported in Nigeria and Mali, as well as a solitary incident registered in Senegal; nevertheless, these cases were controlled, and no additional incidences have been reported in these countries. References Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, n.d). Ebola: Ebola Virus Disease. Accessible at: http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola. Read More