Ebolavirus

Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) is a viral hemorrhagic fever and one of the most virulent viral diseases known to humankind. The Ebola virus was first identified in the western equatorial province of Sudan and in a nearby region of Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) in 1977 after significant epidemics in Nzara, southern Sudan and Yambuku, northern Zaire.  Ebolavirus is transmitted by direct contact with the blood, body fluids and tissues of infected persons, or by handling sick dead or infected animals. The virus interferes with the endothelial cells lining the interior surface of blood vessels and with coagulation. As the blood vessel walls become damaged and destroyed, the platelets are unable to coagulate, and patients succumb to hypovolemic shock. Here is a video with some general information on the virus.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeKQLA-WSnA

The Ebolavirus is a single stranded RNA virus with the characteristic threadlike structure of a filovirus. Before outbreaks are confirmed in areas of weak surveillance on the local or regional levels ebola is often mistaken for malaria, typhoid fever, dysentery, influenza, or various bacterial infections which may be endemic to the region. Diagnosing Ebola in an individual who has been infected only a few days is difficult because early symptoms, such as red eyes and a skin rash, are nonspecific to the virus and are seen in other patients with diseases that occur much more frequently. However, if a person has the constellation of symptoms described above, and infection with Ebola virus is suspected, the patient is isolated and the local state and health department are notified.  

There is no standard treatment for Ebola hemorrhagic fever and the mortality rate of the infection has been documented to be as high as 90%. Treatment is primarily supportive and includes minimizing invasive procedures, balancing electrolytes (since patients are frequently dehydrated), replacing lost coagulation factors to help stop bleeding, maintaining oxygen and blood levels, and treating any complicating infections. 

                                       

Antigen-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing, IgM ELISA, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and virus isolation can be used to diagnose a case of Ebola HF within a few days of the onset of symptoms. Persons tested later in the course of the disease or after recovery can be tested for IgM and IgG antibodies; the disease can also be diagnosed retrospectively in deceased patients by using immunohistochemistry testing, virus isolation, or PCR.


Ebolavirus is a public health concern in Africa and the Philippines. The lack of available treatment or vaccination, and a high mortality cause a significant amount of fear and anxiety in the general public during outbreaks. Here is a sobering video on statistical information concerning the ebolavirus.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ-qIBB2U-k


The latest case of Ebolavirus infection was in May 2011. A 12-year-old girl in Uganda died from Ebola hemorrhagic fever. No further cases have been recorded.