Glance About Disease Deadly Ebola virus

Realmhealthy - Ebola virus disease (formerly known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever virus) is a disease that is often fatal severe on manusia.Virus is passed to humans from wild animals and then spread in the population with the transmission of manusia.Tingkat average mortality of about 50%. In previous outbreaks, the rate went from 25% to 90%.See also OVERCOMING HIV DURING YOUTH

Ebola outbreak first occurred in remote villages in Central Africa, near the tropical forests, but the recent outbreak in West Africa has affected large urban centers as well as local community pedesaan.Partisipasi very important to control the outbreak. To be effective, the fight must be based on a set of interventions: in case management, surveillance and contact tracing, quality laboratory service, safe burials and social mobilization.

Initial support rehydration centered care and symptomatic treatment increases survival rates. No treatment has been approved so far demonstrated its ability to neutralize the virus, but some treatments (derived from blood, immunology and medicine) are under studi.Saat there is no approved vaccine against Ebola virus disease, but both candidates are being evaluated.

Ebola Virus


General Information Ebola disease

Ebola virus causes an acute and serious, often fatal if untreated. Ebola disease appeared for the first time in 1976, when two simultaneous outbreaks in Nzara (now South Sudan) and Yambuku (DRC). Yambuku located near the Ebola River, it gave its name to the disease.

Soaring now raging in West Africa (the first case was reported in March 2014) is the largest and most complex since the virus was discovered in 1976. This has resulted in more cases and deaths than all previous outbreaks combined. This outbreak also has a specificity that has spread from one country to another, ranging from Guinea to reach Sierra Leone and Liberia (crossing the land border - in the case of a traveler), Nigeria and the United States (through tourists), Senegal and Mali (through two tourists ).

The most affected countries (Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia) have very weak health systems, lack of human resources and infrastructure and still emerging from a long period of conflict and instability. On August 8, WHO Director-General said that the outbreak in West Africa is a public health emergency of international concern under the International Health Regulations (2005).

virus Filoviridae family has three genres: Cuevavirus, Marburgvirus and Ebolavirus. Five species were identified: Zaire, Bundibugyo, Sudan, Reston and Tai Forest. The first three was associated with a significant African plague. The virus causing outbreaks in 2014 in West Africa to species of Zaire.

Transmission of Ebola Virus Disease

It is estimated that the fruit bats of the family Pteropodidae is the natural host of the Ebola virus disease. It entered into the human population after close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or bodily fluids of infected animals such as chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys, antelopes wood or porcupines found ill or dead in the rainforest.

Then it spread to human transmission as a result of direct contact (broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood, secretions, organs or bodily fluids of an infected person or with surfaces and materials (eg bed linen, clothing) that have been contaminated by fluids.

Health workers themselves are often infected in dealing with suspected or confirmed cases of Ebola virus disease. It occurs in close contact with patients when infection control precautions are not tight.

The funeral ceremony where relatives and friends of the deceased are in direct contact with the body can also play a role in the transmission Ebola.Subyek with such infectious virus remains present in their blood.

There is no official evidence of sexually transmitted diseases, but sexual transmission of patient recovered can not be ruled out. Scientific data show that live Ebola virus can be isolated in the semen of men in the healing period to 82 days after onset of symptoms. We do not yet have evidence for 82 days. There is no evidence of the presence of Ebola virus living in vaginal secretions.


Symptoms of Ebola Virus Disease

The incubation period, ie the time between infection and the onset of symptoms, ranging from 2 to 21 days. As long as they do not show symptoms, humans are not contagious. The first symptoms are sudden fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. They are followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rash, symptoms of kidney and liver failure and, in some cases, internal and external bleeding (eg, bleeding gums, blood in the stool). Laboratory findings show low white blood cells and platelets, elevated liver enzymes.

Ebola Virus Disease Diagnosis

Ebola virus disease can be difficult to distinguish from other infectious diseases such as malaria, typhoid fever and meningitis. The following investigations are used to confirm that infection with Ebola virus is the cause of these symptoms:
  • Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)
  • Laboratory tests for antigen capture
  • serum neutralization test
  • followed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
  • electron microscope
  • virus isolation in cell culture


Samples from patients present an extreme biohazard. Therefore, the laboratory analysis of samples of non-active should be in accordance with the conditions of detention of the most powerful.

Treatment and vaccine Ebola disease

Support oral or intravenous rehydration and treatment of specific symptoms improve survival rates. No treatment has been provided so far proved against Ebola virus disease. However, a wide range of potential treatments, including blood products, immune therapies and drug treatments are being evaluated. There is no licensed vaccine is not yet available, but is currently assessing the safety of two potential vaccines in humans.

Ebola Disease Prevention and Control

To effectively combat the plague, it is necessary to implement a set of interventions: in case management, surveillance and contact tracing, quality laboratory service, safe burials and social mobilization. Community participation is very important to control the outbreak. Awareness of risk factors for infection by Ebola virus and protective measures may be an effective way to reduce transmission to humans. Messages on risk reduction should focus on the following factors:

Reduce the risk of transmission between wildlife and humans through contact with fruit bats or monkeys / primates infected and by eating raw meat. We must handle animals with gloves and other protective clothing to wear. Products from these animals (blood and meat) should be thoroughly cooked before consumption.

Reducing the risk of human infection from direct or close contact with the subjects with symptoms of Ebola, particularly with their body fluids. Should wear gloves and personal protective equipment when dealing hospital. It should also be systematically wash hands after visiting patients in the hospital or after caring for patients at home.

Reducing the potential risk of sexual transmission because it is impossible to eliminate the risk of transmission, the men and women who survived the Ebola virus disease should refrain from any type of sexual intercourse (including anal or oral sex) for at least three months after the onset of symptoms. If abstinence is not possible, use a male condom or a female. Contact with body fluids should be avoided and should be washed with soap and water. WHO is not recommending male patient recovered isolates or women who have blood tests negative for Ebola disease.

Measures of detention including soaring burial quickly and safely from the dead, subjects identify who may have been in contact with people infected with Ebola, monitoring contact health status for 21 days, separation of healthy subjects / patients to prevent the spread, good hygiene and maintain a clean environment ,

Against infection in health care facilities

Health workers should always apply the standard precautions when caring for patients, regardless of the presumptive diagnosis. These precautions related to the basic rules of hygiene, respiratory hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (to protect against splashing or other contact with infected material) and injection safety and funerals.

Health workers who care for suspected or confirmed cases of Ebola infections must, in addition to the precautions of use, taking control measures other infections to avoid contact with blood or body fluids or with contaminated surfaces and materials such as clothes and bed sheets in close contact with sick people (who say, less than one meter), they should wear face protection (face shield or surgical masks and goggles), coat clean, non-sterile long sleeves, and gloves (sterile for medical procedures).

Laboratory employees are also at risk. Samples taken from humans or animals to look for Ebola infection should be handled by trained staff and processed in suitably equipped laboratories.

WHO Measures Against Ebola disease

WHO aims to prevent Ebola outbreaks through disease surveillance and helping countries at risk to develop preparedness plans. The document provides general guidelines for combating this virus outbreaks for two.

Outbreaks of disease in Ebola and Marburg virus preparation, warning, control and evaluation When an outbreak is detected, WHO is engaged in providing assistance to monitoring, community mobilization, in case management, laboratory services, contact research, infection control, logistics support and training and support for practice burial aman.WHO have developed detailed guidelines on the prevention and fight infection with Ebola virus.

Source: WHO Media center
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