Ebola is a deadly virus that originates from parts of Africa. It is classified as hemorrhagic fever, placing it in the same category as Marburg fever, Lassa fever, and dengue fever. There are four varieties, named after their country of origin. Ebola Zaire, Ebola Ivory Coast, and Ebola Sudan are known to cause serious illness in humans. Ebola Reston does not appear to cause illness in people.
The virus can be transmitted through body fluids such as blood and secretions. Well-established vectors for infection include handling other Ebola-infected primates, contact with infected corpses during funeral services, and handling infected patients without exercising due caution. It is believed that the disease can be transferred through particles in the air, but so far there are no proven cases of this method of infection. Hospital staff are particularly susceptible to infection during an outbreak, particularly in nations where Ebola has occurred so far.
Contrary to popular misconception, Ebola does not kill in a matter of hours, and the virus will incubate for up to two weeks before symptoms begin to appear. These symptoms include a rapidly escalating fever, horrible muscle pain, and debilitating weakness. Other symptoms can include diarrhea and vomiting, as well as internal and external bleeding.
While the popular media has portrayed Ebola symptoms as fast-acting and visually horrifying, in most cases there is little external exposure to the virus. While external bleeding can occur occasionally, it is rare, and the popular image of people "melting away" or internal organs literally liquefying is exaggerated. In fact, although it is classified as a hemorrhagic fever, less than half of the cases ultimately result in hemorrhage. However, when bleeding does occur, it is certainly capable of some grotesque displays, with possibly bleeding from the mouth, genitals, nose, and under the skin.
The first Ebola outbreak in which the virus was identified occurred in western Sudan and part of Zaire, now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in 1976. More than 600 people were infected and more than 400 died. In 1995, a second large outbreak occurred in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, infecting 315 people and killing 250. Since its first identification, more than 1,800 cases have been identified, of which 1,200 were fatal, making it one of the deadliest viruses. to affect humans.
There have been reports that ingesting an extract from a West African fruit helps treat Ebola once it has been contracted; However, these reports have yet to be rigorously tested. Work on a vaccine is ongoing, with the recent success of a fully reliable vaccine for Ebola in monkeys. Although no positive human vaccine has been produced, the future is promising.