Ebola disease "mows down" the population of West Africa. The virus has also spread to many other countries. It was identified in the UK, USA. The World He alth Organization has recognized fever as a threat to states around the world. Where did such a deadly disease come from? Why is Ebola dangerous? The incubation period, symptoms, methods of treating the disease still cause controversy.
What is Ebola?
No one can say for sure where the virus came from and how a person first became infected with it. But it originated in Africa. It was first mentioned in 1976. Thus, this is not a new virus. Back in 1976, outbreaks of epidemics were seen in several areas. However, the virus was found in Zaire (today - Congo) on the coast of the Ebola River. Hence it got its name.
Once in the body, the virus causes a disease, the official name of which is Ebola hemorrhagic fever. Photos of infected people are simply terrifying!The mortality rate reaches almost 90%. And worst of all, Ebola victims cannot hope for a life-saving vaccine. It simply doesn't exist. Even treatment is questionable. After all, there are no official drugs for fever either.
Fever-2014
New outbreak recorded in Guinea in December 2013. The infection began to spread rapidly to neighboring countries. Patients with Ebola were recorded in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria. This is the deadliest outbreak in the history of the virus.
Infected people met not only in West Africa. Two American volunteer doctors picked up the virus in the very focus of the fever. In the US, this caused a real panic. After all, one patient is enough for the disease to spread rapidly throughout the country.
A new experimental drug was tested on doctor-patients with their full consent. The Ebola drug is being developed by a biotech company in San Diego. Even the creators did not know how the human body would react to this drug. After all, all experiments were carried out exclusively on monkeys. When the poor doctors showed all the signs of Ebola, they were given an experimental drug. An hour later, the symptoms of fever began to decrease.
How do people get Ebola?
It is suspected that the "parents" of the virus were fruit bats (they are also called flying dogs). Monkeys (gorillas, marmosets, chimpanzees), porcupines, woodland antelope and other animals can be vectors.
How is Ebola transmitted to humans? Initially, you can get infected from an animal. The virus is transmitted throughsecretions and saliva. Thus, if a sick monkey scratches or bites, then a person will become infected. In addition, hunters who butcher animal carcasses are at risk.
How do people not in contact with animals get infected with Ebola? Unfortunately, it only takes one person to catch the deadly virus. And then it spreads along the chain. The virus is transmitted through the blood and all body fluids. Thus, even during a kiss, you can get a fatal disease.
Sometimes people who even know how to get Ebola get sick themselves. Sometimes, without noticing the smallest wound, not visible to the naked eye, they picked up the virus. There are many known cases of infection in Africa from the dead. After all, even the body of the dead is contagious. The virus can also spread due to contact with objects that were infected by a sick person.
Symptoms of the disease
Knowing how Ebola is transmitted can help you recognize the disease in time by its characteristic signs.
So, initially the disease develops as a cold. At the initial stage, the following signs of Ebola are characteristic:
- headaches;
- temperature increase to 39-40 degrees;
- palpitations;
- muscle pain;
- dry cough, sore throat;
- chest pain;
- amimic face, sunken eyes.
Further progression of the disease is characterized by new symptoms. She appears on the 2nd or 3rd day:
- vomit;
- pain in the abdomen;
- bloody diarrhoea.
On the third, sometimes the fourth day, hemorrhagic syndrome is clearly visible. There is hemorrhage in the whites of the eyes. Skin, internal organs begin to bleed.
5-7th day brings measles rash. Visually, it looks like red spots. In this case, the patient does not experience itching. Over time, peeling appears at the site of the rash. The inner side of the thigh and shoulders are most susceptible to damage. Patients have lethargy, confused consciousness. Sometimes the disease is manifested by the opposite symptom - psychomotor agitation.
On the 8-9th day, extensive bleeding, infectious-toxic shock lead to a sharp drop in blood pressure. At this time, death may occur.
If the lethal outcome was avoided, improvement is observed on the 10-12th day. The patient's temperature returns to normal. The patient begins to improve. This process takes 2 to 3 months.
Incubation period
It is very important to understand how long the disease can manifest itself. Most sources suggest that an illness like Ebola has an incubation period of 2 to 21 days. On average, the interval between the infection process and the onset of the first symptoms varies from 3 to 9 days. As a rule, this time is quite enough for Ebola to manifest itself in all its ugliness. The incubation period, it should be understood, still lasts up to 21 days. Therefore, the disease may appear on any of these days.
Grouprisk
Absolutely no one can boast of being protected from a terrible virus. However, there are categories of the population most at risk of infection:
- Doctors who, by virtue of their profession, are forced to treat patients.
- Perhaps even more at risk are relatives of those infected. After all, they have the mission of caring for the sick.
- Hunters are a special category.
Diagnosis of disease
Initially, the epidemiological history is analyzed. In other words, the fact that the patient is in an unfavorable area is established. The question of possible contact with an infected person is being studied. If such a possibility exists, then the diagnosis of Ebola becomes questionable. The incubation period, as noted above, is 21 days. During this time, the patient should be hospitalized.
The following studies are being carried out during this period:
- Careful study of complaints and anamnesis of the patient. Attention is paid to the timing of fever, massive bleeding, watery stools with blood, etc.
- Virological diagnostics. Biological fluids are being studied. From the blood, saliva of a person, a virus is isolated and injected into the body of a laboratory animal. He is being monitored to identify the characteristic development of the infectious process.
- Serological diagnostics. With the help of antibodies, the causative agent of the virus is recognized. In the future, they are trying to eliminate it.
- Consultation of an infectious disease specialist.
Treatmentfever
Ebola patients are required to be hospitalized in special boxes. Only trained personnel are allowed to treat these patients. Unfortunately, a clear program has not been developed to defeat such a disease as Ebola. Treatment includes the following:
- taking antiviral drugs;
- injection of donor immunoglobulins into the body - protective bodies are taken from people or horses who have had an illness, and therefore are immune to the virus.
Therapeutic treatment is reduced to the fight against symptoms:
- bed rest;
- eating easily digestible, semi-liquid foods;
- administration of glucose or saline solutions if the patient is severely intoxicated and dehydrated;
- vitamin therapy (ascorbic acid, B6, PP);
- transfusion of platelets (donor) to normalize blood clotting;
- antipyretic drugs;
- hemodialysis - purification of the blood by the artificial kidney system from toxins produced by the virus;
- antibiotics for bacterial complications.
Is there a cure for Ebola?
This question torments not only the patients themselves. It is asked by the broad masses of the people, experiencing fear of a possible epidemic. This goal is set by scientists, trying to protect the population from the threat of danger. And although measures to combat such an ailment as Ebola are rather doubtful today, the treatment, presumably, will soon befound.
Despite the fact that no official vaccine has yet been registered, many potential drugs have already been invented. A vivid confirmation of this is an experimental drug that has been tested by American doctors. The Canadian Pharmaceutical Corporation has not lagged behind, having created a drug that can fight fever.
Russia also did not fade into the background. Near Novosibirsk, test systems are being developed that can diagnose a dangerous virus. It is there, in the scientific center "Vector", that work is underway to create a unique vaccine against Ebola. The new drug is already being tested on animals. However, the center's employees themselves keep all information secret.
Thus, we hope that the unique vaccine against deadly fever will be presented to the general public very soon.
Prevention and advice
The issue of protecting the population from a deadly virus is not raised sharply. Indeed, to date, not a single confirmed case of infection has been recorded in our country. However, for the purpose of prevention, you should familiarize yourself with some recommendations. They will allow you to take all necessary measures correctly and in a timely manner so as not to become a victim of Ebola.
Main recommendations:
- In order to prevent the possibility of contracting a fever, it is better to refuse to visit the countries of West and Central Africa.
- If you need to travel to the above areas, you must use protective masks. Should try to avoidcrowded places and, if possible, avoid contact with the sick population.
- From the point of view of prevention, you should constantly ventilate the room, do wet cleaning, carefully follow the rules of hygiene. Do not make purchases in unauthorized places of sale.
- If Ebola is suspected, wear a protective mask and seek medical attention immediately.
- If after returning from a trip you experience symptoms that are somewhat reminiscent of Ebola, you need to contact a specialist in a timely manner. The doctor needs to provide full information about the countries in which they stayed. Be sure to indicate the dates of the trip.
Conclusion
More recently, the essence of the Ebola virus was not clear, and the fever itself seemed to be something very far away: it is raging somewhere in Africa, they will take measures, the disease will be stopped. But the news of a sick person from the UK, infected doctors from America made the virus a fairly specific threat.
But don't panic. Rospotrebnadzor assures that the epidemic does not threaten the Russians. However, it is better to refuse trips to West African countries. But you can go to other countries without fear of bringing a terrible "souvenir". After all, the ongoing strict anti-epidemic measures can protect against the deadly virus. But when you return, you should carefully listen to your body. After all, the incubation period of an unpleasant disease lasts 21 days.
