Decoding Ebola virus
The outbreak of Ebola virus in several nations has caused tension among the people in India too. Hence , to be on the safer side one must be aware about this lethal disease.
Ebola virus disease
What is Ebola?
Ebola virus disease(EVD), is a severe, often fatal, illness in humans with a case fatality rate of up to 90%.
How does it spread?
The virus spreads in the community through human to human transmission, with infection resulting from direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other body fluids of infected people. It can also spread indirectly with environment contaminated with such fluids, such as burial grounds. The family members and health workers are at a greater risk.
Symptoms:
The early symptoms include sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat . This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rashes, impaired kidney and liver function and in severe cases both internal and external bleeding.
Prophylaxis:
No licensed vaccine for EVD is available. Severely ill patients require intensive support care. No specific treatment is available.
Prevention:
However there is no need for us to panic because of the basic method of its spread.
We just have to practice basic methods of hygiene such as
1. Washing hands using disinfectants.
2. DO NOT touch the body fluids or secretions of an infected person without protection.
3. DO NOT touch or eat bush meat & don’t eat bats.
We are more safe as the geographical distribution of this disease is far off and potential carriers are being screened before being allowed in the country. Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra form the epicenter of this disease.
