Ebola is a deadly virus disease with occasional outbreaks
Let’s find out more about the Ebola virus!
- The Ebola virus is not waterborne or airbor
- ccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Ebola virus can be transmitted to others through direct contact with blood or secretions and fluids of an infected person.
- Exposure to any objects contaminated by infected bodily secretions and fluids can also transmit the disease from person to person.
- Spread of Ebola can happen through close contact when taking care of infected people.
- Ebola can spread quickly, without proper cleaning and sterilization of medical equipment.
- Ebola virus is a severe acute viral disease often mistaken as malaria, typhoid fever, shigellosis, cholera, leptospirosis, plague, rickettsiosis, relapsing fever, meningitis, hepatitis and other hemorrhagic fevers.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that these diseases be ruled out before diagnosis of Ebola virus.
- The incubation period is 2-21 days.
- But 8-10 days is most common.
- Currently, there is no cure for Ebola virus.
- The symptoms are treated in the infected person.
- The following are the symptoms of Ebola: fever, headache, joint and muscle aches, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, lack of appetite.
- Other symptoms of Ebola include: rash, red eyes, hiccups, cough, sore throat, chest pain, difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, external and internal bleeding.
- Ebola virus is treated by balancing the patient’s fluids and electrolytes.
- It is done by maintaining their oxygen status and blood pressure, and treating them for complicating infections.
- Ebola virus is diagnosed using many, different lab tests.
- Ebola is one of many Hemorrhagic fevers.
- The natural reservoir host of Ebola virus remains unknown.
- Experts believe Ebola is zoonotic with fruit bats being the likeliest reservoir.
- Scientists believe that the virus is transmitted to people from wild animals, then spreads from human to human.
- Ebola is now more commonly called Ebola virus disease.
- Ebola is caused by an infection with a virus of the family Filoviridae.
- The virus belongs to the genus Ebolavirus.
- Ebola was first discovered in 1976 in former Zaire, or what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- It was discovered near the Ebola River.
- It was named after the river.
- Case fatality rates have varied from 25% to 90% in past outbreaks , according to the World’s Health Organization (WHO).
- Vaccines to protect against Ebola are under development.
- Pregnant and breastfeeding women with Ebola should be offered early supportive care.
- There is no licensed treatment proven to neutralize the virus but a range of blood, immunological and drug therapies are under development.
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