EBOLA VIRUS INFECTION.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE EBOLA VIRUS.
Ebola virus disease also known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a viral hemorrhagic fever of humans and other primates caused by ebolaviruses. Now this virus, no researcher knows the actual origin of the ebola virus as well as the reservoir although there have been several hypothesis that are yet to be proven to be the origin of the Ebola virus. The first ebola out break was know to have occurred in 1976, in Zaire, near ebola river in Congo, which infected 318 people with a mortality rate of (88%). the next outbreak with a mortality rate of (53%) infected over 284 people occurred in southern Sudan, which is adjacent to Congo. So it certainly started in Congo, but with no trace of how it started. Other Ebola outbreaks have been confirmed in the following countries over the last few decades: Gabon, Ivory Coast, Uganda, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Recently Some scientists postulated that Ebola was transmitted to humans through some animals, of which bats were enlisted. In 2005, researchers looking for the reservoir of Ebola sampled over 1,000 animals in the Central African nations of Gabon and Republic of the Congo, They tested about 679 bats, 222 birds and 129 small terrestrial vertebrates.
The only animals found to harbor the Ebola virus were bats. specifically, three species of fruit bat: The hammer-headed bat, Franquet's epauletted fruit bat, and the little collared fruit bat. After wards, bats were said to be the origin of the ebola virus, but In a short run, some bats tested negative, so they were not the main source of the ebola virus. it was discovered that Ebola is actually causing an outbreak in bats. it was being spread among bat populations. looking at the virus' genetic material, scientists have found that the same Ebola virus has been carried by bats in Central Africa to bats in West Africa over the past 10 years, although this virus could have been carried by people, but if it was carried by people, researchers would have seen cases along the way. So possible hypothesis being that the disease was spread faster and across countries by infected animals, and humans who had come in contact with these infected animals also get infected and spreads the infection within their small circle. But still, no origin.
On the 8th of January 2015, another hypothesis was made "Conspiracy theories", "that that Ebola and HIV are bio-weapons created by the West to depopulate Africa". But this was over looked and considered invalid.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF THE EBOLA VIRUS.
Signs and symptoms typically start between two days and three weeks after contracting the virus
And these symptoms include;
1.) High fever
2.) Headache
3.) Joint and muscle aches
4.) Sore throat
5.) Weakness
6.) Stomach pain
7.) Lack of appetite.
As the disease gets worse, it causes internal bleeding in the body, from the eyes, ears, and nose as well. In Some cases, some people vomit or cough Out blood, get bloody diarrhea , and get rashes.
HOW EBOLA VIRUS IS TRANSMITTED
The ebola virus spreads through direct contact with body fluids , such as blood from infected humans or other animals. Then it moves from person to person/ animal to animal the same way. Those who care for a sick person or bury someone who has died from the disease often get it. NOTE: An individual infected with Ebola but has no symptoms can’t spread the disease, either.
CURE FOR EBOLA INFECTION
During that epidemic, scientists were studying an anti-Ebola drug called "Zmapp". Doctors started using them even before the study was completed.
Zmapp uses antibodies discovered in mice. The mice use their body’s natural immune system to fight infection. So, If the drug is given to an infected individual within five days of the Ebola infection and symptoms appear, it can cure the disease.
But researcher Chandran says Zmapp is effective only against Ebola Zaire. It does not work on other four known Ebola viruses.
Chandran further stated that the recently discovered human antibodies is efficient enough to destroy all five of the viruses. The antibodies work by interfering with a process that the disease uses to infect and multiply inside cells. scientists discovered the antibodies in just six months.
The drug company Mapp Pharmaceutical Incorporated is now testing this newly discovered antibodies in monkeys that have been infected with Ebola. Spokespeople from the company says the new antibodies have so far been safe and quite effective.
Soon enough, these antibodies will also be tested in people and probably used both as a treatment and as a vaccine to prevent people from getting the Ebola virus.