EBOLA
1. Table of Contents
1. Table of Contents
2. Introduction
3. Ebola History
4. Symptoms and How It Is Spread
5. Where Has it Occurred ?
6. Treatment and Prevention
7. Recent Cases
8. Current Status - Vaccine Information
9. Useful Links
10. Sources
2. Introduction
Hello everyone. My name is Mike, and though I am a relatively new user to ATS at the time I write this, I have been lurking for years before deciding
to finally make an account. I am currently doing my Pre-Veterinary Studies in College, and I am fascinated by Diseases. Thus, I am here, hoping to
give some of my knowledge back.
I am writing this "guide" in the hopes of revamping this particular section of the ATS forums. It is a topic I enjoy and feel strongly about,
therefore I hope people enjoy them. These guides will be on many topics such as a certain disease, or how to protect yourself in foreign countries,
things of that nature. They won't be a daily thing, or a weekly thing, or even a yearly thing, they'll simply just be done when they're done. Now,
assuming I enjoy making this guide and receive generally positive feedback, they may be churned out rather quickly.
Throughout these guides, i'll be using my own general knowledge, as well as sources I can find regarding the subject. I will do my best to cite these
sources at the end of the guide.
Anyways, that is just a small introduction as to why I'm even here and writing this.
If you have any suggestions for future topics, feel free to shoot me a message, and i'll do my best.
3. Ebola History
This is a picture of the Ebola Virus
Ebola first emerged in 1976, in both Sudan and Zaire. Ebola is named after the Ebola River which is located in Zaire. The first strain of Ebola,
Ebola-Sudan, had infected 284 people with a mortality rate of 53%. The second strain appeared just months later in Zaire, called Ebola-Zaire had the
highest mortality rate of any of the Ebola strains at 88%. This strain infected 318 people. Years later, another strain of Ebola, Ebola-Ivory Coast
appeared in 1994. Ebola-Bundibugyo was first discovered in 2007, during the 2007-2008 outbreak in Uganda which infected 149 people, and killed 37.
In 1990, Ebola Reston was discovered to be another strain of the Ebola virus. Human infection with the Ebola Reston subtype, found in the Western
Pacific, has only caused asymptomatic illness, meaning that those who contract the disease do not experience clinical illness.
The natural reservoir, or habitat of Ebola is currently unknown. Though it is widely believed it to be a zoonotic disease, in that animals carry it
and is transferable to people.
4. Symptoms and How It Is Spread
The incubation rate for Ebola is usually 5-18 days. Although there have been cases in shorter and longer rates. Symptoms develop at a very fast rate,
usually including fever, diarrhea, nausea and head/muscle pains in the early stages. As the disease progresses, vomiting and diarrhea, which may both
be bloody as well, begins to occur. In the latter stages, subjects begin bleeding profusely out of body orifices and sites where an injection or IV
may have been given.
Ebola can be spread by contact with an infected person or animal through bodily fluids. It has been observed in research settings to spread through
the air in monkeys, however, in the real world, no such infection has not been documented.
5. Where Has it Occurred ?
Confirmed cases of Ebola have been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Sudan, the Ivory Coast, Uganda, and the Republic of the
Congo.
6. Treatment and Prevention
At the time of writing, there is no vaccine for Ebola. Therefore treatment is usually done by monitoring the fluids in the patient, as well as
treating the individual symptoms as best as possible.
In order to prevent Ebola from spreading, subjects are quarantined, and dealt with in full medical suits including masks and goggles. Unfortunately,
in places such as Africa where health care is poor, Ebola has a good environment in which to cause an epidemic.
7. Recent Cases
Since 2000, there have been 11 confirmed outbreaks of Ebola. All in Africa and the Philippines. The latest case at the time of writing this was in
May, 2011 in Uganda. The strain was Ebola-Sudan and killed a young girl.
8. Current Status - Vaccine Information
Currently, there is no vaccine for Ebola, though one is being researched and tested on monkeys in laboratories.
Ebola is a Select Agent, World Health Organization Risk Group 4 Pathogen (requiring Biosafety Level 4-equivalent containment), National Institutes of
Health/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Category A Priority Pathogen, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category A
Bioterrorism Agent, and listed as a Biological Agent for Export Control by the Australia Group.
9. Useful Links
CDC Information
WHO Information
10. Sources
CDC
Stamford Article
Wikipedia Article - While Wikipedia in itself isn't the best source, the sources on the bottom of the
articles are greatedit on 27-9-2011 by MikeZutch because: Added info.
edit on 27-9-2011 by MikeZutch because: Fixed
info.