Essay: The Ebola Virus

Ebola
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Introduction to Ebola
Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is an erratic but fatal disease that can be instigated in humans and animals (monkeys, gorillas). The etiologic agent mainly resides in sub-Saharan Africa.
Etiologic Agent
The viruses in the genus Ebolavirus cause this. The following are the different species of microorganisms under this genus: Ebola virus (Zaire ebolavirus), Sudan virus (Sudan ebolavirus), Taï Forest virus (Taï Forest ebolavirus, also known as, “Côte d’Ivoire ebolavirus”). Bundibugyo virus (species Bundibugyo ebolavirus), Reston virus (Reston ebolavirus), and Bombali virus (Bombali ebolavirus) CITATION CDCnd1 \l 1033 (CDC, n.d.).
Only the Ebola, Sudan, Tai, and Bundibugyo viruses are found to trigger the disease in humans. The Reston virus affects the pigs while the influences of the Bombali virus is unknown, although it has been identified in bats CITATION CDCnd1 \l 1033 (CDC, n.d.).
Mode of Transmission
Mode of transmission is through direct contact with an infected animal in an event called “spillover.” After which, there shall be a human-to-human spread via direct contacts (direct wound entry, skin scratch, or damaged mucous membranes) CITATION CDCnd2 \l 1033 (CDC, n.d.).
The following are the features that can facilitate the infection: bodily fluids such as urine, perspiration, breast milk, and saliva; fomites such as clothes, door, or furniture; diseased fruit bats or non-human primates such as chimpanzees and gorillas; and the semen from an individual who recently improved from EVD through sexual transmission (vaginal, oral, or anal). There are no pieces of evidence of sexual transmission of Ebola from female vaginal fluids CITATION CDCnd2 \l 1033 (CDC, n.d.).
The mean incubation period of Ebola is at 6.9 days (Eichner, Dowell, & Firese, 2011).
Susceptible Groups
There is an increased susceptibility for healthcare workers and relatives who come in close contact with patients who have incurred the disease. Moreover, it is also a threat to the great apes secondary to habitat loss caused by widespread deforestation and to poaching. It has been noted that the previous Ebola outbreaks killed approximately one-third of gorillas in protected areas. Evidence shows that Ebola almost annihilated the species of western lowland gorilla populations, making it a critically endangered species CITATION Baynd \l 1033 (Baylor College of Medicine, n.d.).
Outbreaks
Ebola was discovered on the neighboring Ebola river at the DRC. From then on, it has instigated outbreaks intermittently from this area and initiated the spread to the various African nations CITATION CDCnd3 \l 1033 (CDC, n.d.).
The Zaire, Bundibugyo, and Sudan ebolaviruses triggered the enormous and widespread outbreaks in Africa. The most fatal among these is the Zaire ebolavirus, which has triggered the Ebola outbreak in West Africa (2014-2016). It has been named as the most dangerouos outbreak in Africa, affecting approximately 28 600 people. It is also the causative agent in the large-scale outbreaks in DRC and Gabon CITATION CDCnd3 \l 1033 (CDC, n.d.).
Sudan ebolavirus h...