What Is Ebola?

What is Ebola?

is an acute viral infectious disease that causes hemorrhagic fever in humans and primates (monkeys, gorillas and chimpanzees) caused by the Ebola virus, which was first described in 1976 by Dr. David Finkes, when presented several cases of hemorrhagic fever in Zaire and Sudan. The name of the virus to Ebola River in Zaire geographically located should.

The Ebola virus is one of the two members of a family of virus RNA (ribonucleic acid) called Filoviridae. There are five serotypes of Ebola virus: Ebola-Zaire, Ebola-Sudan, Ebola-Ivory Coast and Ebola-Bundibugyo. The fifth serotype, Ebola-Reston, has caused disease in primates, but not humans. It is an infection that is characterized by a high mortality rate, ranging between 50% and 95% of those affected. Because the lethal nature, this virus is considered as a biological weapon.

The prevalence of Ebola is difficult to determine, because usually occurs in outbreaks or epidemics, however, in countries like America infection with this virus is not endemic, although records of several people working in direct contact with primates exist and they have acquired the infection by Ebola-Reston type; Fortunately, this virus has not demonstrated pathogenic effects in humans. Other people are potentially at risk laboratory workers who work with infected animals or tissue culture virus.

Currently, it is considered that people at risk for hemorrhagic fever Ebola virus are those with a history of travel to sub-Saharan Africa, people who care for infected patients and workers who are in contact with infected primates source African.

How is Ebola virus spread?

The Ebola virus is considered highly infective, due to its high mortality rate, the rate at which kills and remote areas where infections occur. It is transmitted to humans through contact with an animal infected host alive or dead (monkeys, bats, antelopes ...) and spreads from person to person by contact with the blood, tissues, secretions and body fluids of the infected person, and by contact with contaminated medical equipment such as needles.

Infections with Ebola virus are acute and there is no state of 'carrier'. Because the natural reservoir of the virus is unknown, the manner in which the virus first appears in a human at the start of an outbreak has not been determined yet.

Nosocomial transmission refers to the spread of a disease within a hospital, this type of transmission occurs frequently during outbreaks of Ebola virus. In most health centers in Africa, patients are seen without a mask, gown, or gloves. In addition, when needles or syringes used may not be of the disposable type, if contaminated with the virus and then reused, many people may be infected.

In fact, if the death of the affected by the virus occurs, the protocol indicates that it can not perform the autopsy by the high risk of contagion by the fluids of

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