It is a life threatening disease. It causes haemorrhages from internal organs. It used to kill as many as 90% of the people.
Aetiology
Ebola virus.
Distribution
The disease is mostly confined to African countries. The places where from the disease is recorded is Zaire (Congo), Gabon, Uganda, Ivory Coast and Sudan. Recorded from Asian countries including India.
Man Susceptisie
Any body in contact with blood or faeces of the affected one may suffer. But, it is a risky problem to those who work with the virus in the laboratory. It is said that man initially contracted the infection from animal.
Transmission
May acquire the infection directly from the diseased person or through contact with blood, faces or body fluids. The family members and the friends who come in contact may suffer. Person may get the infection through contaminated needle or articles.
Symptoms
The incubation period ranges from 2 to 21 days. The initial symptoms are high fever, headache, muscle ache, stomach pain and diarrhoea. There may also be sore throat and red and itchy eyes. The important manifestations are vomiting, cutaneous rash, epistaxis, haemoptysis (bleeding from lungs), haematemesis (bleeding from stomach). These are followed by chest pain, shock and eventually death.
This postulated that a protein on the surface of the virus is responsible for internal bleeding (death dealing feature) of the disease. This protein destroys the endothelial cell lining blood vessels, causing the vessels to become permeable to escape blood.
Diagnosis
This is based on history, characteristic clinical features and detection of the virus.
Treatment
There is no specific treatment against the virus. Symptomatic treatments include supporting assistance.
- Maintenance of oxygen balance
- Balancing of fluid and electrolytes
- Anticoagulants for haemorrhage
Inspite of treatment victim may die within 10 days of onset of symptoms.
Prevention
Attempt to isolate the virus.
To make a barrier
Barrier can be made by wearing protective clothes such as masks, gloves, gowns and goggles.
Sterilization of equipments.
Isolation of the affected one.
Precaution to e adhered not to come in direct contact of the patient.
Bioterrorism
This virus is concerned with to act as a weapon of bioterrorism. Though recently this has seen under question by US. Congress in 1999 due to the unstable character of it.