Ebola virus disease (EVD), also known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) or simply Ebola, is a rare and deadly disease of humans and primates (gorillas, monkeys and chimpanzees. Ebola is caused by the Ebola virus, belonging to the family Filoviridae and genus Ebolavirus.There are five strains of Ebola virus: Ebola-Zaire, Ebola-Sudan, Ebola-Ivory Coast, Ebola-Bundibugyo, Ebola-Reston.
Ebola was first discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since then, outbreaks have appeared sporadically in Africa. Till September 24, 2014, there had been 70 cases of Ebola virus disease reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On September 30,2014, CDC confirmed, the first travel-associated case of Ebola to be diagnosed in the United States.
Symptoms of Ebola virus disease appear from 2 to 21 days after exposure to virus. Symptoms of Ebola include high fever (greater than 101.5°F), severe headache, lack of appetite, bloody diarrhea, vomiting with blood, weakness in muscles, pain in joints and bleeding from the eyes, ears, and nose in worse conditions.
Ebola is difficult to diagnose because signs and symptoms resemble typhoid malaria and cholera. Tests of blood and tissues can diagnose Ebola. Laboratory or diagnostic tests used in diagnosis of ebola include antigen-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing, IgM ELISA, Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and virus isolation.
Ebola is not curable because no antiviral medication has proved effective in treating this disease. People diagnosed with Ebola receive supportive care including intravenous fluids and balancing electrolytes (body salts), providing oxygen as needed, maintaining blood pressure, blood transfusions and treatment for other infections.Recovery from Ebola depends on the patient’s immune response. People who recover from Ebola infection develop antibodies that last for at least 10 years, possibly longer. There is no FDA-approved vaccine available for Ebola.
The infected person is isolated immediately to prevent the spread of disease because this disease can be transmitted from person to person. There is no evidence that Ebola virus can be spread via insect bites. Ebola virus is transmitted to humans through an infected animal’s bodily fluids, blood and waste products.
The precautions that can help to prevent the spread of Ebola virus includes avoiding contact with infected person and animal, avoiding visiting areas of known outbreaks and hospitals where Ebola patients are being treated, practicing careful hygiene and avoiding buying or eating wild animals including nonhuman primates.
Health care workers should follow the infection-control procedures by wearing protective clothes such as masks, gloves, goggles, gowns and eye shields, using sterile instruments and keeping infected people isolated from others. Specially trained teams should bury the bodies of people who have died of Ebola by using appropriate safety equipment.
About the author: Faryal Ali is a student of Pharm-D at the Jinnah University for Women, Karachi. She can be reached at faryal198@gmail.com.
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