Ebola virus disease (EVD) is described by the World Health Organisation
(WHO) as "a severe, often fatal illness in humans." It first appeared
in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreaks – in Nzara, Sudan; and in Yambuku,
in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The latter was in a village
situated near the Ebola River, from which the disease takes its name.
The disease is mainly found in tropical Central and West Africa, and
can have a 90 per cent mortality rate. In the current outbreak the death
rates are running at about 70 per cent.
How bad is the current outbreak?
The WHO and other international government agencies have reported a
total of 4,493 deaths and 8,998 suspected cases of the disease. However
the WHO believes that this substantially understates the magnitude of
the outbreak, with possibly 2.5 times as many cases as have been
reported.
Although this the largest outbreak ever recorded
of the disease there have been significant sporadic outbreaks in the
past, mainly in Uganda, the DRC, Sudan and Gabon. The worst previous
outbreak, in 2000 in Uganda, saw 425 people infected. Just over half
died.
The current epidemic began in Guinea when a 2-year-old boy called Emile died on 6 December last year in the village of Meliandou, Guéckédou Prefecture. His mother, sister, and grandmother then became ill with similar symptoms and also died. People infected by those victims spread the disease to other villages, eventually crossing into neighbouring Liberia and Sierra Leone.
How is the virus transmitted?
The virus is known to live in fruit bats, and normally affects people living in or near tropical rainforests. It is introduced into the human population through close contact with the sweat, blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals such as fruit bats, chimpanzees, forest antelope and porcupines found ill or dead or in the rainforest.
The virus spreads among populations through human-to-human transmission, with infection resulting from direct contact, through broken skin or mucous membranes, and indirect contact with environments or objects contaminated with such fluids, such as door handles and telephones.
What does Ebola do?
Symptoms begin with fever, muscle pain and a sore throat, escalating rapidly to vomiting, diarrhoea and internal and external bleeding, leading quickly to death. Health workers are at serious risk of contracting the disease and need to wear a protective suit covering their entire body.
Why is it spreading so rapidly in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea?
Many of the areas that are seriously affected already suffer extreme poverty and have limited access to soap or running water to help control the spread of disease. Hospitals in these countries frequently lack basic supplies and are understaffed. Another significant problem is that burial ceremonies, in which mourners have direct contact with the body of the deceased person, can increase the spread of the disease.
How long does the virus survive?
One thing in mankind's favour is that the Ebola virus is quite fragile and easily destroyed by high temperatures, being dried out and disinfectants such as soapy water and alcohol gel.
It will survive a few days at longest if left in a pool of bodily fluid, such as spit or blood, in a cool, damp place.
Is the disease treatable?
Early treatment improves a patient's chances of survival. However there is no vaccine or cure. Severely ill patients require intensive supportive. Patients are frequently dehydrated and require oral rehydration with solutions containing electrolytes or intravenous fluids.
There are limited supplies of experimental drugs, including ZMapp, a combination of monoclonal antibodies.
Is there a vaccine?
An experimental vaccine, known as the cAd 3-ZEBOV, began Phase 1 trials on volunteers in Oxford and Bethesda last month. The vaccine is being administered to a further group of volunteers in Mali this month. If successful, the vaccine will be fast tracked for use in West Africa. A second vaccine, rVSV-ZEBOV, developed by the Public Health Agency of Canada, is ready to undergo Phase 1 trials.
When did Ebola reach Britain?
The Government launched screening of passengers arriving at Heathrow and Gatwick airports and the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras.
On December 29 a health care worker who was helping combat the disease in Sierra Leone was diagnosed with the disease and was being treated in a Glasgow hospital.
Can Ebola be stopped?
A The United Nations says it believes the world can defeat the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in six to nine months, “but only if a 'massive’ global response is implemented.”
UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has criticised the international response, saying that a trust fund he launched to fight Ebola has only raised $100,000 of its $1 billion target.
As part of its effort British army medics are on their way to West Africa to help in the fight against the virus. A team of 91 medics from 22 Field Hospital in Aldershot will run a hospital in Sierra Leone, set aside for health care workers who risk infection. The nurses, doctors and infectious disease consultants will join 40 soldiers already there.
The current epidemic began in Guinea when a 2-year-old boy called Emile died on 6 December last year in the village of Meliandou, Guéckédou Prefecture. His mother, sister, and grandmother then became ill with similar symptoms and also died. People infected by those victims spread the disease to other villages, eventually crossing into neighbouring Liberia and Sierra Leone.
How is the virus transmitted?
The virus is known to live in fruit bats, and normally affects people living in or near tropical rainforests. It is introduced into the human population through close contact with the sweat, blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals such as fruit bats, chimpanzees, forest antelope and porcupines found ill or dead or in the rainforest.
The virus spreads among populations through human-to-human transmission, with infection resulting from direct contact, through broken skin or mucous membranes, and indirect contact with environments or objects contaminated with such fluids, such as door handles and telephones.
What does Ebola do?
Symptoms begin with fever, muscle pain and a sore throat, escalating rapidly to vomiting, diarrhoea and internal and external bleeding, leading quickly to death. Health workers are at serious risk of contracting the disease and need to wear a protective suit covering their entire body.
Why is it spreading so rapidly in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea?
Many of the areas that are seriously affected already suffer extreme poverty and have limited access to soap or running water to help control the spread of disease. Hospitals in these countries frequently lack basic supplies and are understaffed. Another significant problem is that burial ceremonies, in which mourners have direct contact with the body of the deceased person, can increase the spread of the disease.
How long does the virus survive?
One thing in mankind's favour is that the Ebola virus is quite fragile and easily destroyed by high temperatures, being dried out and disinfectants such as soapy water and alcohol gel.
It will survive a few days at longest if left in a pool of bodily fluid, such as spit or blood, in a cool, damp place.
Is the disease treatable?
Early treatment improves a patient's chances of survival. However there is no vaccine or cure. Severely ill patients require intensive supportive. Patients are frequently dehydrated and require oral rehydration with solutions containing electrolytes or intravenous fluids.
There are limited supplies of experimental drugs, including ZMapp, a combination of monoclonal antibodies.
Is there a vaccine?
An experimental vaccine, known as the cAd 3-ZEBOV, began Phase 1 trials on volunteers in Oxford and Bethesda last month. The vaccine is being administered to a further group of volunteers in Mali this month. If successful, the vaccine will be fast tracked for use in West Africa. A second vaccine, rVSV-ZEBOV, developed by the Public Health Agency of Canada, is ready to undergo Phase 1 trials.
When did Ebola reach Britain?
The Government launched screening of passengers arriving at Heathrow and Gatwick airports and the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras.
On December 29 a health care worker who was helping combat the disease in Sierra Leone was diagnosed with the disease and was being treated in a Glasgow hospital.
Can Ebola be stopped?
A The United Nations says it believes the world can defeat the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in six to nine months, “but only if a 'massive’ global response is implemented.”
UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has criticised the international response, saying that a trust fund he launched to fight Ebola has only raised $100,000 of its $1 billion target.
As part of its effort British army medics are on their way to West Africa to help in the fight against the virus. A team of 91 medics from 22 Field Hospital in Aldershot will run a hospital in Sierra Leone, set aside for health care workers who risk infection. The nurses, doctors and infectious disease consultants will join 40 soldiers already there.
