The outbreak of Ebola in Western Africa has stuck fear in the heart of everyone about the visitors to the region or visitors from the region. The disease has a maximum fatality rate of up to 90%. By the time Ebola is worst in recorded history has so far claimed more than 1,000 lives.
Ebola virus disease (EVD) or Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) is a viral disease caused by Ebola virus. Ebola virus needs blood or bodily fluids (sweat, vomit, saliva) of an infected animal to transmit. It is not an airborne illness such as SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome).
The first human outbreaks discovered in 1976, one in northern Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) in Central Africa: and the other, in southern Sudan (now South Sudan). The virus is named after the Ebola River, where the virus was first recognized in 1976,according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Source:CNN)
Ebola outbreak is centered in West Africa; with Sierra Leona, Guinea and Liberia worst affected.The other counties which have been confirmed are Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Gabon, South Sudan, Ivory Coast, Uganda, Republic of the Congo (ROC) and Nigeria.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an international public health emergency. Researchers from the New England Journal of Medicine have traced the outbreak to a two-year-old girl, who died on 6 December 2013 in a small village in south-eastern Guinea.
In a report by WHO, till August 11, 2014 a total of 1,069 deaths were confirmed. Guinea has maximum numbers (377) of deaths; Liberia confirms 355 deaths; Sierra Leone reported 334 deaths and Nigeria 3 deaths.
Since 1979 to 1994 no cases were reported for Ebola. And from 1995 Ebola occurs in the regions of Western Africa, every year with fewer more than 500 cases.
The 2014 outbreak is worst in the history of world and dwarfs previous epidemics figures of 1976.
Causes:
EVD is caused by four of five viruses classified in the genus Ebolavirus, family Filoviridae, order Mononegavirales. The four disease-causing viruses are:
- Bundibugyo virus (BDBV),
- Sudan virus (SUDV),
- Taï Forest virus (TAFV),
- Ebola virus (EBOV, formerly Zaire Ebola virus).
Symptoms:
Weakness, fever, aches, diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pain. Additional experiences include rash, red eyes, chest pain, throat soreness, difficulty breathing or swallowing and bleeding (including internal).
Source: wikipedia
Treatment:
No ebolavirus-specific treatment exists. Treatment is primarily supportive in nature and includes minimizing invasive procedures, balancing fluids and electrolytes to counter dehydration, administration of anticoagulants early in infection to prevent or control disseminated intravascular coagulation, administration of procoagulants late in infection to control bleeding, maintaining oxygen levels, pain management, and the use of medications to treat bacterial or fungal secondary infections. Early treatment may increase the chance of survival.A number of experimental treatments are being studied. (Source: Wikipedia)
