5 things you should know about Ebola
All major ports of entry have received quarantine stations to find travelers who may be ill.
Where did the Ebola virus originate?
It is not entirely clear where the virus originated, though it is thought that bats might harbor the virus in their intestinal tract. It is likely that the virus made the transmission to primates through ingestion.
What are the symptoms?
Once a person has contracted the Ebola virus, it can take up to 21 days to become symptomatic. The disease causes flu-like symptoms including aches, abdominal pain, fever, vomiting and diarrhea.
This leads to dehydration, failure of the liver and kidneys, and hemorrhaging.
However, there are many diseases that can cause these symptoms, so blood tests need to be done to rule out things like malaria, hepatitis, cholera, meningitis, and others.
How does it spread?
The virus can spread through contact of bodily fluids, which is a bit problematic given the amount of sweat, vomit, and diarrhea involved with caring for a patient. The virus can also be spread through semen up to seven weeks after the onset of disease, even once symptoms have abated. Ebola is also somewhat unique in that it is still virulent even after its host has died.
What’s the deal with the current outbreak?
The outbreak was declared in March in Guinea. Since then, the disease has spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria. There have been 1,323 confirmed cases with 729 deaths (55% fatality rate) spread across four countries in West Africa. This is the largest outbreak ever recorded.
Should I be worried?
Many health officials claim that the only reason this particular outbreak has grown as large as it has is because of where it hit. The areas that have been hit the hardest lack sufficient health care systems and are unable to provide necessary treatment for the patients or personal protective equipment for health care workers.
For those living in developed countries it is not likely that the virus will spread. The virus can only be transmitted when someone is sick, and all major ports of entry have received quarantine stations to find travelers who may be ill.
Even if it did manage to get across the Atlantic, it requires very unsanitary conditions to spread.
Source: iflscience.com / photo credit: CDC/ Frederick A. Murphy
