Ebola Virus

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Ebola Virus
By Adam Spofford Blue Science 630s
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Ebola Virus
A Definition
Ebola virus is a complex virus that destroys the
walls of arteries and some other connective
tissue. There are five known types Zaire Ebola
virus, with the highest fatality rate at 90,
Sudan Ebola virus, with nobody knowing what
transmitted it to humans, Reston Ebola virus,
from crab-eating macaques, Côte dIvore Ebola
virus, with only one human case, and Bundibugyo
Ebola virus, with only one outbreak. There is
also some discussion about what actually kills
you. Some people think the stomach acid falls out
your stomach, others say that you internally
bleed to death. I personally think it has
something to do with your brain.
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Symptoms
A full list is abdominal pain, fever, bleeding
from orifices, headache,  bloody vomit,
Maculopapular rash, joint and muscle pain, inflamm
ation of the pharynx, coagulopathy , chest pain,
central nervous system involvement (rare), dry
and sore throat, hemorrhagic diathesis, hiccups,
non-bloody diarrhea, and vomiting. You seriously
do NOT want to get this disease.
There are a few symptoms of the Ebola virus. They
include fever, malaise, muscle pain, and the
inflammation of the larynx (voice box). Also,
after six days of vomiting and bloody diarrhea,
there will be some Maculopapular rash and
bleeding at body orifices. The incubation period
is also five to eighteen days.
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Causes
Ebola is caused by the Ebola virus. It can be
transmitted by bodily fluids, and you can catch
it from its carrier (unknown) by merely brushing
it. In some cases, it was caused by reusing dirty
hospital needles. Scientists still dont know
what the Ebola carrier is.
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Transmitting/
Prevention
The currently known way of transmitting Ebola is
through bodily fluids. And with nasty symptoms
such as bloody vomit and orifice bleeding, it is
pretty darn easy to transmit it during the
symptoms period. It is often mistaken for
malaria, typhoid fever, dysentery, or influenza.
To prevent it, if you seem to have any of these
diseases, tell your doctor to check if it is
Ebola. Before scientists studied it in depth,
there were vaccines for Ebola, but they have a
six-month work period and are therefore
impractical for an epidemic. However, in 2008
they completed a short-working vaccine. To
prevent getting the virus, never touch used
hospital tools or an extreme amount of sheep,
cow, or goat blood (such as a brain as a hands-on
science class activity).
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Epidemiology
30,000 creatures were tested and not a one had a
trace of ebolavirus. But strangely, the decaying
carcasses had massive amounts. Personally, I
think it has something to do with omnivores that
dont hunt because they would be able to
contaminate the carcasses. Bats are considered
the most likely carrier.
Ebola in bat lung
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Treatments
There is no standard treatment for Ebola
hemorrhagic fever. It is mainly supportive and is
basically replacing bodily fluids, especially
water and blood. And really, all insurance covers
is the hole in the floor from the stomach acid.
The only possible cure was Morpholino antisense
drugs, until recently. There have been some
recent experiments on monkeys (because of their
resemblance to humans) and Stable Nucleic Acid
Lipid Particles provide complete protection.
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Resources

• www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey64
  90 (transmit, epidemiology, treatments)

• emedicine.medscape.com/article/216288-overview
  (symptoms)

• http//cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/mnpages/dispages/Fa
  ct_Sheets/Ebola_Fact_Booklet.pdf (symptoms,
  causes, transmit, treatments)