Ebola virus-What you need to know

Ebola virus disease (EVD) also known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever is a fatal disease of humans caused by ebola viruses. Symptoms of the disease are usually observed from 2 days weeks after exposure to the virus.These symptoms include a fever, throat and muscle pains as well as headaches. Other signs include vomitting and diarrhoea. Also, there is a progression to kidney and liver failure. When this occurs, the affected individuals may begin to bleed profusely.It typically occurs in outbreaks and occurs in tropical regions of Sub-Saharan Africa. Between when it was first identified in 1976 and 2012 less than 1000 people a year have been infected. The disease was first identified in the Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
How do people get  exposed to the virus?

Ebola disease is acquired through contact with blood or body fluids of an infected animal such as monkeys, bats, rodents e.t.c. Bats are known to carry the virus without showing signs and they can spread the disease without being affected by it. Once a person gets infected, the ndisease can easily be spread to in-contact people. Men who survive the disease are capable of transmitting the disease for close to 2 months after recovery

How is the disease diagnosed?

In order to diagnose this condition, diseases with similar symptoms such as malaria, leptospirosis, cholera, other viral haemorrhagic fevers must be ruled out. Tests are also carried out to detect viral genomic DNA or antibodies.

Prevention

 In order to prevent the disease, contact with infected animals including wildlife should be avoided. Veterinary authorities in a community at risk would do very well to carry out serological screening of animals. Any animal showing signs of the disease or those with detectable levels of antibodies against the virus should be promptly destroyed and properly disposed. When handling the disease, protective clothing should always be worn by veterinary and medical personnel.
Those living around infected persons should wear protective clothing and observe good principles of hygiene.Laboratory scientists and others who handle blood samples and body fluids from infected individuals should do it with a high degree of caution. Meat should be properly cooked before human consumption

Treatment

No specific treatment exists. The disease is treated symptomatically. The disease has a high fatality rate which may be as high as 90%. Although efforts are ongoing to develop a vaccine none exists however as of 2014