Ebola

//** Ebola **//

 * Description of virus: **[[image:424px-Ebola_virus_em.jpg width="168" height="234" align="right" caption="Ebola virus"]]
 * Typically 800-1000 nm long, 80 nm in diameter.
 * Enveloped RNA virus.
 * Has thread like structure of a filovirus.
 * In center, there is a structure called nucleocapsid.[[image:file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Owner/Desktop/424px-Ebola_virus_em.jpg]]
 * Formed by double strand ed viral genomic RNA.
 * Spikes are 10 nm in length, and 10 nm apart.

** Viral Specificity: **

 * Ebola interferes with the endothelial cells lining the surface of blood cells.
 * As the blood vessel walls become damaged, blood has trouble coagulating.
 * Patients then succumb to hypovolemic shock, or decreased blood volume.

** Symptoms and progression of the disease: **

 * Incubation period is generally 5-18 days, but it can range from 2-15 days.
 * Illness is characterized by rapid onset of fever, muscle pain, headache, and inflammation of the pharnyx.
 * After 6 days, symptoms progress to vomiting and bloody diarrhea, and sometimes a masculopapular rash.
 * If individual develops a masculopapular rash, bleeding at needle sites and body orifices usually occurs.[[image:392px-7042_lores-Ebola-Zaire-CDC_Photo.jpg width="162" height="246" align="right" caption="Nurses standing infront of a patient, who later died, at the Ngaliema Hospital in Kinshasa, Zaire"]]
 * Internal and external bleeding starts as symptoms progress.

** Common Methods of Transmission: **

 * Transmitted by direct contact with the blood, body fluids and tissues of infected persons.
 * Transmission through oral exposure and through conjunctiva exposure is also likely.
 * Transmission may also occur when handling dead animals already carrying the virus.

** Treatment and Prevention (if any): **

 * There is no standard treatment for Ebola, and no vaccine available.
 * Treatment usually consists of balancing electrolytes and maintaining oxygen and blood levels. (Supportive Therapy)
 * Replacing lost coagulation factors to help stop bleeding.


 * Miscellaneous: **
 * There are 5 strains of the Ebola virus, 4 of which infect humans, Ebola-Zaire, Ebola-Sudan, Ebola-Ivory Coast and Ebola-Bundibugyo.
 * Only Ebola-Reston has been reported to infect primates, but not humans.
 * Ebola-Zaire is the most lethal strain.
 * Virus is named after the Ebola River Valley in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
 * Virus was relatively obscure until an outbreak of the disease in a group of monkeys in the US was largely publicized.

** Resources accessed: **
Author of Article: Wikipedia Contributors Title of Article: Ebola URL: http://www.wikipedia.org/ebola Date: Oct. 24, 2010

Author of Article: CDC Title of Article: Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever URL: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/mnpages/dispages/ebola.htm Date: April 9, 2009

Author of Article: World Health Organization Title of Article: Ebola hemorrhagic Fever URL:http://www.who.int/csr/disease/ebola/en/index.html Date: Oct. 23, 2010