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Ebola Virus Disease

Hallie

Intro to A&P-2171 Mod 11 Chapter 15 Assign 2

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Ebola Virus Disease

The Ebola virus causes an acute, serious illness which is often fatal if untreated. Ebola

virus disease (EVD) first appeared in 1976. Patients with EVD have an onset of fever and

symptoms typically 8 to12 days after exposure. Initial symptoms may include elevated body

temperature or subjective fever, chills, myalgia, and malaise. Because of these symptoms one can

be confused with other more common infectious diseases such as malaria, typhoid fever,

meningococcemia, and other bacterial infections (for example, pneumonia). The fruit bat is

considered a natural Ebola virus host. But can also be transmitted from the body fluids of

diseased chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines. The Ebola virus is

transmitted human to human through direct contact such as broken skin or mucous membranes

with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of an infected person. The Ebola virus

infects many cell types, including monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells, endothelial cells,

fibroblasts, hepatocytes, adrenal cortical cells, and epithelial cells. The incubation period may be

related to the infection route (6 days for injection versus 10 days for contact). (Ebola Virus

Disease (EVD) Information for Clinicians in U.S. Healthcare Settings, 2016) The Ebola virus is

no more contagious than Hepatitis C, which also has a RO nought or reproduction number of 3.

Supportive care-rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids- and treatment of specific symptoms,

improves survival. There is as yet no proven treatment available for EVD. However, a range of

potential treatments including blood products, immune therapies and drug therapies are currently

being evaluated. No licensed vaccines are available yet, but 2 potential vaccines are undergoing

human safety testing. (Ebola Virus Disease, 2016). Ebola is caused by a virus, rather than

bacteria, and researchers in general have a harder time developing treatments for viral diseases,

compared with bacterial diseases.

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References

Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) Information for Clinicians in U.S. Healthcare Settings. (2016, May).

Retrieved from CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/healthcare-

us/preparing/clinicians.html

Ebola Virus Disease. (2016, January). Retrieved from World Health Organization:

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/

Rettner, R. (2014, June 23). Live Science. Retrieved from http://www.livescience.com/46479-

ebola-treatment-cure.html
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References

Last Name, F. M. (Year). Article Title. Journal Title, Pages From - To.

Last Name, F. M. (Year). Book Title. City Name: Publisher Name.