Things To Know About Ebola
Ebola is a disease that was first discovered in 1976 during a deadly epidemic. Surely, its name sounds familiar to you, but do you know how it is spread?
In case you are one of the people who has not heard about the disease called Ebola, do not worry. Today we will present everything you need to know about it: its characteristics, mode of contagion and the most important information.
What is Ebola?
Ebola is a viral infectious disease that causes hemorrhagic fever in humans and primates. This disease is named after a river located in Zaire (Africa).
It is part of the family of RNA viruses called Filoviriadae. It is worth noting that there are five serotypes of the Ebola virus
- Ebola – Zaire
- Ebola – Ivory Coast
- Ebola – Sudan
- Ebola – Bundibugyo
- Ebola – Reston: this has caused disease in primates, but not in humans.
How is the virus transmitted?
It is a highly infectious virus with a high mortality rate. The most common transmission to humans occurs through contact with an infected host animal. Said animal can be alive or not. Among the carrier animals we find monkeys, bats and antelopes, among others.
Human-to-human transmission occurs through contact with the blood, secretions, tissues, and body fluids of an infected subject, also through contact with contaminated medical equipment, such as needles.
Likewise, it is important to talk about nosocomial transmission. This refers to the spread of a disease within a health center or hospital. Lately, a lot has happened with the Ebola virus in health centers located on the African continent and this happens because patients are treated without corresponding masks, gowns or gloves.
Things to keep in mind about Ebola
We must have a lot of respect for this disease, since it is very difficult to detect and as we have already mentioned, its mortality rate is therefore very high. Here are a series of things to keep in mind about it.
1. It has a mortality rate of 90%
From the moment it was first detected, there have been more than twenty outbreaks and isolated cases of the disease. In some of these outbreaks, the death rate has reached approximately 90 percent of those infected.
2. Can remain active in semen
The WHO (World Health Organization) has stated that men recovered from the disease in question can still transmit it through their semen for up to 82 days after recovery.
3. Symptoms of the Ebola virus
Initially, the symptoms that the Ebola virus disease presents are:
- Fever
- Intense weakness
- Muscle pains
- Headache
- Irritated throat
Later, vomiting, diarrhea, rashes, kidney problems and in various cases also internal and external bleeding occur .
4. Incubation period of the Ebola virus
The incubation period from when the virus is contacted until the first symptoms appear is estimated to be two to twenty-one days. Thanks to the symptomatological similarity with other diseases, the only way to diagnose the Ebola virus is through an analysis or laboratory sample.
Prevention and treatment
At the moment, there is no vaccine on the market against the Ebola virus, although it is being experimentally worked on. Regarding treatment, there is no specific one to combat the effects of the disease . Oral hydration is usually given with electrolyte solutions or intravenous fluids.
As you can see, Ebola is an extremely dangerous disease, mainly because there are no vaccines and its symptoms are similar to those of other ailments. If you are traveling to Africa, ask your doctor what you can do to protect yourself against this virus.
