Ebola: All You Need To Know

About Ebola
Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) formerly known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a severe and often fatal illness in humans. According to report, its outbreak has a case fatality rate of up to 90%.
EVD outbreaks occur primarily in remote villages in Central and West Africa near tropical rain forests.
It is transmitted to people from wild animals and
spreads in the human population through human to human transmission.
Fruit bats are considered to be the natural hosts of the disease. Severely ill patients require intensive and supportive care. As of now, there is no treatment or vaccine available for use in people and animals.
Ebola was said to have first appeared in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreaks in Nzara, Sudan and in Yanbuku, Democratic Republic of Congo. The latter was in a village situated near a river named Ebola from which the disease takes its name.
Transmission
Ebola is introduced into the Human population through close contact with blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluid of infected animals.
In Africa, infection has been documented through the handling of infected Chimpanzees, Gorillas, Fruit bats, Monkeys, Forest antelope and Porcupines found ill or dead in the rain forest.
Ebola then spreads in the community through human to human transmission with infection resulting from direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people and also indirect contacts with environments contaminated with such fluids. Contact with the body of a deceased patient of Ebola can also lead to the transmission of Ebola.
Men who have recovered from the disease can still transmit the virus through their semen for up to 7 weeks after recovery from the illness.
Signs & Symptoms
EVD is characterized by a sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, impaired kidney, and liver function and in severe cases both internal and external bleeding. People are infectious as long as their blood and secretions contain the virus.
Vaccine and Treatment
No licensed vaccine for EVD is available. Several vaccines are being tested but none are available for clinical use. Severely ill patients require intensive supportive care.
Patients are frequently dehydrated and require oral re-hydration with solutions containing electrolytes or intravenous fluids.
Prevention & Control
Avoid direct contact with the body fluid of infected people. Also its important to avoid direct contact with the body of an Ebola victim who has died.
For cases of Ebola within Healthcare facilities, the following techniques should be employed:

1.  The use of infection control measures, including complete sterilization of equipment.
2. The isolation of patients with Ebola from contact with unprotected people.
3. Wearing of protective clothing such as mask, gloves, gowns and goggles.