Ebola virus disease is a severe illness of humans and often leads to death. The condition is characterized by bleeding, multiple organ failure, and high fatality rates.
No Time To Read? Watch this video..
The disease first appeared in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In DRC, the disease occurred near a river named Ebola, and that is where the malady got its name. Most outbreaks have been reported to originate in sub-Saharan Central and West African regions.
The causative agent of the disease is the Ebola virus. It is transmitted through contact with body fluids or blood of a person suffering from the disease. Contaminated needles, infected animals, and other contaminated objects can also result in the spread of the disease. It is also possible that the Ebola virus may spread through contact with semen. It is postulated that aerosol transmission can also happen but its probability is rare.
During the outbreak of the disease, the transmission of the disease is usually from human to human. Ceremonies conducted for burials in which mourners get in contact with the infected dead body have been found to play a critical role in the spread of the disease in West Africa.
Once the body gets infected with the virus, there is an initial symptom-less period called the incubation period of 2 to 20 days. After the incubation period, muscle-aches, fever, headache, abdominal pain, nausea along with cough, chest pain, inflammation of the pharynx, and jaundice are observed. Vomiting and diarrhea may also appear and can cause extensive fluid loss. Fear of going in well-lit areas, delirium, insensibility, and coma may occur because of the involvement of the nervous system.
Hemorrhagic symptoms can be observed and include tiny red dots on the skin called petechiae that are formed due to bleeding into the skin. There can also be ecchymoses, which is the accumulation of blood under the tissue in large bruised areas. A rash on the trunk region can also be observed.
Once the second week of symptoms starts, the patient either recovers or develops multiple organ failure leading to death.
Recovery time is usually prolonged, and eye lesions may develop. Many survivors were also reported to have significant limitations in mobility, vision, and cognition.
It has been found that the Ebola virus can persist in the central nervous system and can cause a relapse.
For prevention of the spread of disease, patients must be isolated in containment facilities and should not have any contact with the general public. The staff at the facilities should be covered entirely in protective suits. Protocols designed to neutralize any chance of transmission of infection should be followed while removing the clothing, face-shields, gowns, gloves, and masks. Equipment used in treatment should also be sterilized.
Community education can play a pivotal role in the reduction of the outbreaks of Ebola virus disease. Several vaccines and antiviral drugs are in the process of development to curb this disease. One vaccine has been found to have promising results against the disease in West Africa on a limited scale.
In order to counter the Ebola virus, plans need to be developed in diagnosis, management and prevention with the involvement of the public health authorities.
A noticeable and massive Ebola virus outbreak happened in rural Guinea in 2013, which then reached the urban areas and then started spreading to neighboring countries such as Liberia and Sierra Leone. The disease also reached Europe and North-America because of infected travelers. In later developments, Sierra Leone was declared Ebola-free in March 2016, Guinea got that status in May 2016, and Liberia also got cleared in June 2016.
In 2017, an outbreak of Ebola virus disease was reported in the DRC, but it was of small proportion. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared on July 2, 2017, that the outbreak has ended. However, in May 2018, another outbreak was reported. As of June 2018, the outbreak has been reported to be ongoing in DRC. According to a WHO report as of October 13, 2019, more than three thousand cases of Ebola virus disease and more than two thousand deaths because of the disease were reported in the DRC.
According to a statement by WHO, the risk remains very high at national and regional levels in DRC, but it is still low at the global level.
If you have any question please feel free to mention them in the comment section.
Until Next Time,
Team Doctor ASKY!