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One of the deadliest viruses known to man could quite possibly be the virus that lies dormant in Africa called Ebola. The Ebola virus is a member of a family of RNA viruses known as filo viruses. Ebola made its first human contact in 1976, which during this outbreak caused the death of 340 people. Because the outbreak was in Zaire, This particular strain was called Ebola Zaire. Since there isnt a cure for Ebola, people were left to die, without hope for survival.
After this major outbreak, researchers have searched for the origin and cure of the virus. Unfortunately there has not yet been a cure for the Ebola Virus, but if the virus is detected in its early stages and the patient receives appropriate medical attention, there may be a chance of survival. There has only been one small Ebola outbreak in North America, which occurred when monkeys were transported to Virginia from the Congo region. Luckily these monkeys carried an Ebola strain which was non-harmful to humans. Besides other Symptoms, the most common symptoms include hemorrhaging, internal bleeding and violent vomiting. The virus can be spread easily through an infected patients body fluids, which only gives the new infected person two to twenty one days to live, unless he or she is lucky enough to survive.
Most viruses are spread to organisms through other organisms that are infected with a virus. However, The natural hosts of the Ebola virus in nature are not yet identified. Experiments on animals such as guinea pigs, mice, and monkeys show that some strains of the Ebola virus could be present in these animals, but no real evidence has been given to indicate where the Ebola virus originated. Many scientists believe that most patients were infected from the Ebola virus from either Green monkeys or Rheas monkeys. Such a case has been thought to be the cause in the most recent outbreak of Ebola that occurred in Gabon 1996.
No conclusive evidence has been given to support this theory, but many scientists were infected while handling monkeys. Although there has been no concluding evidence as to which organism carries the virus, the following strains of viruses indicate the areas from which they originated: Ebola Reston, Ebola Zaire, Ebola Tai and Ebola Sudan. The Ebola strains present in Reston, Zaire, Tai and Sudan have many common side affects, which like other viruses are not pleasant to obtain. The Ebola virus spreads through the blood and is replicated in organs, including the liver, lymphatic organs, kidneys, ovaries and testes. This causes Sudden Fever, Weakness, Muscle Pain, Headache, Sore Throat, Vomiting, Diarrhea, Rash, Limited Kidney Function, Limited Liver Function, Internal and External Bleeding. Bleeding, especially in the nose, abdomen, pericardium and vagina.
All this blood loses can then cause respiratory disorder seen in fatal cases. Although the symptoms of the Ebola virus can be quite stomach turning, one out of ten people infected survives. Due to its self-limiting nature, the Ebola can sometimes die out within a person before killing them allowing a total patient recovery. Transmission of the Ebola virus occurs by direct contact with the bodily fluids of patients infected with the virus. The handling of chimpanzees that are either ill or have died from the Ebola virus can also transmit the virus. If a patient seems to have Ebola, extreme caution is needed.
Immediate isolation from other patients and strict barrier nursing techniques must be practiced, upon other things. All instruments, clothing, or biological matter must be either disposed of or thoroughly disinfected immediately, so that the virus is killed and no further people are infected. The Ebola viruses symptoms are very violent, but luckily the incubation period is not very long at all. The incubation period for the Ebola virus ranges from 2 to 21 days, depending upon the method of infection. Most patients, who die, die within the first 3 days of infection. A direct inoculation of the virus into the bloodstream of a human will bring about symptoms much faster than other forms of less direct contact.
The virus is present in the males reproductive fluids, and can be transmitted through sexual contact for up to 7 weeks after clinical recovery from the Ebola virus. Because the Ebola virus spreads easily, patients are quarantined. Since its first appearance in 1976, the Ebola virus is still a mystery in the way that its host organism has never been found. This limits the research of scientists, and prevents them from finding a cure. The horrific symptom of internal and external bleeding causes not only a short incubation period, but also death. Although body fluids seem to be the way in which the Ebola virus is spread, no one is to second judge the Ebola virus.
Still to this day, many questions are unanswered such as "Where is Ebola from?" and "Will Ebola ever become air-born?"
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Research essay sample on Internal And External Ebola Virus
