"The only sound is a choking in his throat as he continues to vomit while unconscious. Then comes a sound like a bed sheet being torn in half, which is the sound of his bowels opening at the sphincter and venting blood. The blood is mixed with his intestinal lining. He has sloughed off his gut. The lining of his intestines have come off and are being expelled along with huge amounts of blood" (Preston 17).
Ebola, a virus which acquires its name from the Ebola River (located in Zaire, Africa), first emerged in September 1976, when it erupted simultaneously in 55 villages near the headwaters of the river. It seemed to come out of nowhere, and resulted in the deaths of nine out of every ten victims. Although it originated over 20 years ago, it still remains as a fear among African citizens, where the virus has reappeared occasionally in parts of the continent. In fact, and outbreak of the Ebola virus has been reported in Kampala, Uganda just recently, and is still a problem to this very day. Ebola causes severe viral hemorrhagic fevers in humans and monkeys, and has a 90 % fatality rate. Though there is no cure for the disease, researchers have found limited medical possibilities to help prevent one from catching this horrible virus.
The Ebola virus can be passed from one person into another by bodily contact. Airborne transmission of Ebola has not yet been confirmed, as there is no substantial evidence of this occurring. Researchers are still to this day observing the ways of transmission of this virus from one person to the next. In previous outbreaks, this infection has often occurred among hospital care workers or family members who were caring for an ill or dead person infected with the virus. Blood and body fluids contain large amounts of virus, thus transmission of the virus has also occurred as a result of hypodermic needles being reused in the treatment of patients. Under-financed health care facilities in countries such as Zaire, Gabon, and Sudan find reusing needles a common practice. This contributes the vast amount of fatalities of this virus in these cities.
The general geographic region that has been most affected by the different strains of the Ebola virus is Central Africa, namely the cities of Zaire, Sudan, and Gabon. The first known occurrence of Ebola was found in a man by the name of Charles Monet, who had currently taken a trip...
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...ving things carry viruses in their cells. Even fungi and bacteria and inhabited by viruses and are occasionally destroyed by them. A virus makes copies of itself in a cell until eventually the cell gets pigged with virus and pops and the viruses spill out of the broken cell. If enough cells are destroyed, such as they do in the case of Ebola, the host dies. A virus does not "want" to kill its host. That is not in the best interest of the virus, because then the virus may also die, unless it can jump fast enough out of the dying host into a new host.
Ebola Zaire, a type of strain of Ebola, attacks every organ and tissue in the human body except skeletal muscle and bone. Small blood clots begin to appear in the bloodstream. The blood then thickens and slows, and the clots fit together in a mosaic. The mosaic thickens and throws more clots and the clots drift through the bloodstream into the small capillaries, where they get stuck. This shuts off the blood supply to various parts of the body, causing dead spots to appear in the brain, liver, kidneys, lings, intestines, and all through the skin.
Works Cited
Preston, Richard. The Hot Zone. New York: Random, 1994.
Ebola from everyone’s point of view is seen as inferno. Dr. Steven Hatch’s memorable journey began with him volunteering to leave for Liberia in 2013 to work at a hospital in Monrovia to fight Ebola in one of its most affected areas. There were only a few patients with Ebola when he arrived. The number of patients rapidly increased over his time in Liberia. After six months Ebola was declared a world health emergency and not only were ordinary people outside of the hospital getting the virus but the medical personnel that were tending to the patients had caught it and some of them had even died.
After the death of Charles Monet, the stage is set for much more to come. At the time, Monet’s death was considered unknown, because the Ebola virus was not known about at the time. Medication and antibiotics have no effect on someone with the virus, so obviously it’s pretty serious. Ebola is probably one of the most disgusting things anyone could ever imagine. What is basically does is turn your internal organs into liquid that then pours out of every single hole in your body, even the pores in your skin. Another effect of this virus is coughing up your own blood. This happens because the blood clots in your arteries and veins, which forces it to come out of your mouth and other areas. Eventually your skin will just explode from the pressure of all the blood built up in-between your skin and flesh. This virus can be very deceiving because it has the regular symptoms of diseases like malaria and typhoid fever, but it can kill you within a matter of 10 days.
This virus searches for a new vulnerable host in order to survive and carry the disease to the next victim. The critical aspect around the spread of a virus is how drastically the reproduction process occurs. Without being controlled, the contamination throughout any species causes the spread to take place in a toxic way, “On day one, there were two people. And then, four, and then, sixteen. In three months, it’s a billion.
Bloodborne pathogens are viruses that deteriorate cells within the body. A virus is a submicroscopic parasitic organism that feeds on cells. Viruses are dependent on cells for their nutrients so the virus survive and reproduce. Every virus consists of either deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA). A virus can contain a strand of one or the other, but not both. This RNA or DNA is contained within a protein shell for protection. A virus is a parasite that is dependent upon cells for metabolic and reproductive requirements. By using the cell the virus makes the host very ill by redirecting cellular activity to make more viruses.
In 1976 the first two Ebola outbreaks were recorded. In Zaire and western Sudan five hundred and fifty people reported the horrible disease. Of the five hundred and fifty reported three hundred and forty innocent people died. Again in 1995 Ebola reportedly broke out in Zaire, this time infecting over two hundred and killing one hundred and sixty. (Bib4, Musilam, 1)
...ary 2014)”. The Ebola epidemic helps remind the U.S. That other nations are there to work with them, and unite to prevent a rapid growing disease. CDC partners with programs from other nations, such as the Global Disease Detection Centers, and the Field Epidemiology Training Program, which work to stop the Ebola virus. Information systems will grow stronger, more partnerships dedicated to stopping outbreaks will be formed and laboratory security will also grow. The writer of the paper cannot agree more to this.
In the year 1976, Ebola outbreaks occurred for the first time in rural villages, which are close to tropical forests of Central Africa, but the first ever diagnosed case was reported in the last quarter of the year 2013 in Guinea, which is in close proximity with Liberia and Sierra Leone(Team, 2014). The knowledge of the viral transmission from any animal species to human beings is missing. WHO, an active entity of the UN, is accountable of coordinating international action in any severe disease emergencies like this as WHO has been successful in eliminating disease of high severity like small pox. The question that disturbs us is how did this ailment go horribly out of control? I believe that Ebola has exposed the lack of communication between
The first cases of Ebola virus disease were seen in 1976 in Southern Sudan and Northern Zaire, located 500 miles apart from each other. The virus was named after the Ebola River Valley in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Ebola is a critical disease that has recently spread the country of West Africa. We have also had a few cases in the United States. Ebola is a deadly disease that cannot be contained. As of November 20, 2014 the total number of cases in West Africa is 15,113 (1). There have been a total of 5,406 deaths in the West African outbreak (1). This outbreak has lasted from March 1st, 2014 until the present (1). Scientists across the globe have been working hardly to find a cure for this raging epidemic and this deadly disease. They attempted to make a serum, by which is called ZMapp (15). This serum is made out of engineered antibodies that are used to attempt to fight off the disease without being altered by the disease (15). Scientists have
Ebola is a deadly disease. Ebola, which was previously known as “Ebola hemorrhagic fever”, is caused by a virus. Those who are infected with the virus experience pain throughout the body, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and unexplained hemorrhaging (CDC [Signs and Symptoms]). Ebola is very dangerous and is oftentimes deadly. Fatality rates from Ebola range from 25-90% in various outbreaks, however the average fatality rate is 50% (“Ebola Virus Disease”). Because of the horrifying symptoms and fatality rates associated with the disease many people are concerned with contracting Ebola. However, cases of Ebola are incredibly rare. The disease can only be transmitted through direct contact via broken skin or mucous
Ebola hemorrhagic fever (Ebola HF) is a severe and often fatal disease in humans and primates, the precise origin of which remains unclear. Since its discovery in the Ebola River region of the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1976, multiple outbreaks have occurred in western Africa, the most recent beginning in 2014 among several nations in that region.[1] Treatment options are limited at present, so the best way to prevent the transmission and spread of Ebola is to take steps to avoid infection and to isolate and treat the symptoms of the infected. Ebola can be deadly but is usually preventable, and rumors, myths, and fears don't help — sensible measures like those described here can. As you can see there are many highly requested ways to protect your self to insure you that you won't get
Ebola is caught into the human population through close contact with the blood, organs or other infected bodily fluids/parts of animals such as chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys found dead or ill. Ebola then spreads through human to human transmission via direct contact with blood, secretions to other bodily fluids of infected people, and surfaces like bedding, clothing of the infected can also transmit the
Through these outbreaks, many health officials have gained knowledge and experience from working with the virus. They have come up with a plan to prevent the disease from spreading, but neither a cure nor a vaccination has been discovered. Ebola has not been around as long as other sicknesses, but doctors and researchers have had experience with it. Ebola is transmitted to direct contact with an individual. Blood contact with the patient has the highest risk (Klompas et al). Some say that precautions are not being taken as needed and researchers are acting ignorant about the situation, but the people are trying their hardest and doing what they can with what they have currently been given
There are five different strains of the disease, however; only four can spread to humans. The first reported case of Ebola was in 1976. It occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo and was named after the Ebola River. Researchers strongly believe that the virus is animal borne, but no one really knows. When Ebola invades a human being, it incubates for a period of seven to ten days on average, and then explodes with catastrophic force (Hammer 1). “It becomes an arms race,” says the investigating team’s Brian Bird, veterinary medical officer and an expert in pathogens at the CDC. “The virus wants to make new copies of itself, and the human body wants to stop it from doing so. Most of the time, the virus wins” (Hammer 1). Infected cells begin producing massive amounts of cytokine, tiny protein molecules that are extensively used in intercellular communication. This overproduction of cytokine wreaks havoc on the immune system and disrupts the normal behavior of the liver, kidneys, respiratory system, skin and blood. In extreme cases, small clots form everywhere, a process known as disseminated intravascular coagulation, followed by hemorrhaging. Blood fills the intestines, the digestive tract and the bladder, spilling out of the nose, eyes and mouth. Death occurs within a week (Hammer
The Ebola Viruses are found in several African Countries. CDC (2015) stated that Ebola was first discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River now called “The Democratic Republic of the Congo”. The natural source host of Ebola virus vestiges undisclosed. Nevertheless, evidenced and the comparability of the disease, the researchers, believed that the virus is animal borne and bats are stated to be the most likely