Transcript Ebola Virus - District 279

Scientific Name:
Ebola Virus
Filoviridae family
4 strains – Ebola-Zaire, EbolaSudan, Ebola-Cote d’Ivoire, EbolaReston
Common name: Ebola
Causes Ebola hemorrhagic fever
Description
• RNA strand (retro-virus)
– Coiled RNA in spike-covered
envelope from host cell
• Long rods (800-1000 nm)
• Replication = 8 hours
– Therefore, spreads rapidly
Natural Habitat = Africa
Sudan
• Zaire (Democratic
Republic of the Congo)
– Ebola-Zaire
• Sudan
– Ebola-Sudan
• Gabon
• Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast
– Ebola-Cote d’Ivoire
Uganda
Gabon
• Uganda
• Republic of the Congo
(not the DRC)
Congo
DRC
Natural Reservoir
Suspected to be zoonotic (animalborne)
However, it is unknown what
organism carries it naturally
without being infected
Suspected vectors
• Bats
– Fleas on bats
Kitaka cave, Uganda
• Primates (in some cases, have
been confirmed)
• Basically any other animal native
to Africa, including mosquitoes,
ticks, birds, reptiles
No benefits
Uses: Possible bioterror
weapon – suspected in Russia
Never normal flora in humans
Transmission
• Ebola-Reston has
shown to be
airborne
• The other three
strains are
transmitted by
contact of any kind
(fluids or skin)
Target Groups
• Anyone who comes in contact with an
infected animal or person is at high risk of
contacting the disease.
• However, some people seem to have
natural defenses in their immune system
that allow their bodies to kill the virus.
Scientists do not know exactly how this
occurs.
Ebola Method of Attack
Target mainly small capillary vessels. Attach to
walls, cause leakage of blood and serum into
surrounding tissue.
When white blood cells attack the virus, they dissolve
– this causes inflammation
These injure blood vessels even worse, resulting in
permanent bleeding.
Eventually, the entire body is leaking and dissolving
Ebola hemorrhagic fever
Incubation Period: Anywhere from 2-21 days
As it progresses:
Symptoms:
• Severe
headache
• Weakness
• Muscle aches
•
•
•
•
•
Severe bloody vomiting
Abdominal pain
Bloody diarrhea
External bleeding
Extremely high body
temperature
Ebola hemorrhagic fever fatalities
•
•
•
•
Ebola-Zaire – 47-89%
Ebola-Sudan – 40-60%
Ebola-Bundibuygo – 25%
Ebola-Reston – Found in
monkeys, has not shown to
be fatal in humans
• Ebola-Cote D’Ivoire – Only
one human case recorded,
patient survived
Not much is known about the
body’s response because of the
dangers of handling samples from
infected patients and the short time
span available for investigation.
MASS GRAVES
FOR EBOLA
VICTIMS
Ebola Video Clip on Learn360
Modern Threats
A clip from the full video: Scourge Of The Black Death
Series: In Search of History
Grade(s): 6-8, 9-12
Run Time: [03:38]
New diseases like the Ebola outbreak in 1976 in Africa,
remind us of the possibility of a modern pandemic, but
unlike the Black Plague caused by a bacteria, Ebola is a
virus, resistant to modern antibiotics. Air travel increases
the spread potential.
©1997, A&E Television Networks.
(Show the first 1:45)
Recent Outbreaks
• 2008-2009 DRC 15
deaths
• 2008 Philippines (pigs
– no deaths)
• 2007-2008 Uganda
37 deaths
• 2007 DRC 187
deaths
• 2004 Sudan 7 deaths
Diagnosis and Identification
• Difficult because early symptoms (red eye, skin rash) are
nonspecific to virus.
• Takes a combination of many symptoms characteristic of
Ebola.
Laboratory Testing/Diagnosis:
• IgM ELISA test
• Test for IgM and IgG antibodies
• Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) – a DNA test to
match the DNA from the sample to known Ebola DNA
Ebola Treatments
Care of Infected Persons:
-Supportive therapy -Maintain oxygen status, BP
-Balance fluids
-Treatment of
complicating infections
Experimental Treatment:
-In the Kikwit outbreak in DRC, doctors transmitted
blood from survivors to sufferers, hoping to transmit
whatever antibodies helped them survive.
Cure in monkeys – July 2010:
A new drug successfully wiped out the virus in
monkeys. Hope for humans?
Ebola Prevention
Classified as Biosafety
level 4 (greatest threat
to humans)
Extensive precautions
taken
• Protective clothing (up
to four layers)
• Equipment sterilization
• Airlocks
• Quarantines
Bibliography
Avasthi, Amitabh . "Ebola Cured in Monkeys—Hope for Humans?." Daily Nature and Science
News and Headlines | National Geographic News. N.p., 9 June 2010. Web. 18 Mar. 2011.
<http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/06/100609-science-health-ebola-viruscure-vaccine-monkeys/>.
"Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever | CDC Special Pathogens Branch." Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. N.p., 15 Nov. 2010. Web. 18 Mar. 2011.
<http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/mnpages/dispages/ebola.htm>.
Kvachsusan, Mrs.. "Ms. Kvach's Homepage." Pleasant Valley Community School District .
Bettendorf, Iowa, 30 May 2004. Web. 18 Mar. 2011.
<http://www.pleasval.k12.ia.us/highschool/teachers/kvachsusan/>.
“Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever.” Special Pathogens Branch: Diseases. Nov. 26, 2003. Center
for Disease Control and Prevention. 3/19/04
<http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/mnpages/dispages/ebola.htm>
Col. Weeks, Byron, M.D. “Ebola – A Serious Threat.” NewsMax.com. Oct. 17, 2001.
3/19/04 <http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/10/12/82239.shtml>
Murphy, Frederick A. “Ebola Virus.” Encarta. CD-ROM. Microsoft, 2002
Russell, Brett. Ebola Information. 3/19/04 <http://www.brettrussell.com/personal/ebola.html>