Infectious disease: Ebola - Essay Example

Infectious disease: Ebola Ebola is a disease that is known to be extremely infectious and deadly. It kills a victim within a very short period of time soon after the infection, especially if not detected immediately. The disease was first discovered in DRC (Congo) in 1976 and since then there have been eleven other different outbreaks in Congo. These outbreaks were reported also in Sudan and Uganda. No matter how much research has been done to find out the real base and of Ebola, nothing much on its cure has been found. A person can contact Ebola through physical contact with a sick person. Scientists and doctors have tried so much to come up with various preventive measures for this particular disease, though they come across many challenges. This is because it is not known clearly where the animals that originally caused Ebola are situated and exactly which animals they are (Close, 2002). Control/preventive measures When there is an outbreak of Ebola, health care sources should be in a position to notice and identify the disease promptly and be able to make urgent tests and take swift action, especially the isolation procedure. In order to successfully prevent the spread of Ebola; the most important precaution is avoiding coming into contact with the infected persons and below are some of the measures that can be of help (LeDuc & Peters, 1999): Dressing in outfits that are meant for protection; this are clothing like cloves, protective boots, protective lab courts and over-alls, and protective caps for the head. This kind of dressing is the best especially for the doctors and the medical experts when taking care of the victims since they do not have to touch the patients directly (Hewlett, 2008). Segregation of Ebola patients; if the Ebola patients meet up with the uninfected people, they will automatically get infected hence, causing more disaster for everyone. Therefore, patients with Ebola virus should be kept and treated in an isolated area to avoid more spread and to make it easier for the experts to do their work. Prevent infection on equipment; the equipment used to help patients should be thoroughly sterilized to ensure use of clean uninfected tools. Avoid regions with outbreak; people should be careful when travelling so as to avoid places where the virus is and also ensure there are preventive measures going on in these areas. Clean hands; it is one of the most important preventive measures as this prevents infections of the disease. People are advised to always clean hands using soap (Close, 2002). Avoid bush meat; the disease is believed to have originated from non-human primates and if bush meat is consumed without care, this disease might be contacted Practice proper burials; dead victims should not be handled by just anybody as they are still contagious therefore, only trained experts should be left to bury people who have died from Ebola. Discoveries According to scientists, the cause of Ebola is still not known but, it is believed that filovirus, which create related effects, set up a dormant infection in Monkeys, chimpanzees, macaques from Africa. Scientists believe that it is possible that the virus resides in a creature that stays in the African forest. Other discoveries show that even though it is clear that human beings got the virus from a monkey, there are still thoughts by scientists that there is a possibility that the monkey was also infected and that the origin of the virus could be from a bat, especially the tropical bat and the Egyptian fruit bat. Researchers made these discoveries from IRD in 2005 and ICMRF from France and CDCP from Atlanta in 2007. However, it is well known that Ebola was infected in humans through monkeys (LeDuc & Peters 1999). Recent News on Ebola Immune response; The reaction of the natural/innate immune system to the infection of Ebola, significantly determines the result of the disease/infection, because there is need for a proper innate immune reaction, which is needed for appropriate adaptive immunity, which will result in getting rid of the virus and controlling it. Scientists have lately come up with new findings showing that; Dendritic cells, which are responsible for carrying the virus in the body, have a general repression of cytokine secretion, and are therefore, antiviral cytokine and immunomodulatory. The cells, with particular IFNa secretion, are said to contribute to faults in activating adaptive immunity that appear later as Ebola develops. The process goes on until it gets to a point where Ebola enters a cell. As this epidemic is known to be a very first spreading type, the scientists are now able to create a tiny molecule meant to destroy the productions of a protein in cells, which allows the infection of Ebola in the body (Hewlett 2008). This is because this protein plays a lesser role in the body, and if destroyed, it will reduce the chances of spread of the disease. Other news has it that the scientists have come up with a drug for Ebola treatment and prevention. They have discovered a cell with a mechanism that helps the infected cells in the body to respond to treatment (Tibayrenc, 2007). The mechanism, which is in form of a protein known as Niemann-Pick C1, is thought by scientists to treat this condition. This protein helps in the movement of cholesterol inside the cells of a person. Another late finding by scientists is that the impact the Ebola on the immune system and adaptive immune response that increase survival from Ebola are still in the process of being detailed. It is only clear that many of those who have survived have a steady report of early and healthy Ebola –specific IgG and Igm reactions and state of inflammatory cytokine and confirmation of cytotoxic reaction to affected cells, which are both restrained by the management of eradication of viral antigen. Consequences of the Ebola Disadvantages of Ebola include; 1. Spreads vastly across regions 2. Kills very fast (Humphrey, 2010). 3. Can reduce a population rapidly because of its ability to spread very fast 4. Very risky to work on especially for the doctors, nurses and other expert as in most cases they end up dying. Advantages are; 1. If prevented well, medical experts would not have to do much, as there will be fewer cases. 2. Latest discoveries have given experts an idea of how the virus gets into the body, and destroy it; this gives them clues to come up with ideas on how to get rid of the disease. References Close, T. W. (2002). Ebola: through the eyes of the people. New York, NY: Meadowlark Spring Prodcuations. Fieldman, H. & Klenk, D. (2004). Ebola and Marburg viruses: molecular and cellular biology. New York, NY: Horizon Bioscience. Hewlett, B. L. (2008). Ebola, culture, and politics: the anthropology of an emerging disease Case studies on contemporary social issues. New York, NY: Cengage Learning. Humphrey, A. (2010). Ebola. New York, NY: University of San Francisco. LeDuc, W. J. & Peters, J. (1999). Ebola: the virus and the disease. New York, NY: University of Chicago Press. Tibayrenc, M. (2007). Encyclopedia of infectious diseases: modern methodologies. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. Read More