11 interesting facts about Ebola.

It is not an hearsay that Ebola disease has been on rampage in some African countries over the past 5 years after its discovery in 1976. its greatest outbreak which caused the death of over 11,000 lives happened between December 2013 and January 2016. Even now, Democratic Republic of Congo is currently facing the wrath of the endemic disease.

Ebola virus disease(EVD) is a communicable disease caused by the action of a deadly virus called Ebola virus.

It is believed that between people, ebola disease spreads only by direct contact with the blood or body fluid of a person who has developed symptoms of the disease. These fluids include saliva, breast milk, semen, urine, mucus, vomit, feces sweat and tears. Signs and symptoms typically start between two days and three weeks after contracting the virus with a fever , sore throat , muscular pain , and headaches, Vomiting , diarrhea and rash usually follow, along with decreased function of the liver and kidneys. At this time, some people begin to bleed both internally and externally.

Here are the 11 interesting facts about ebola virus:

• Ebola virus got its name from ebola river . A river near the village where the first outbreak occurred.
• Fruit bats are believed to be normal carriers(vectors) in nature, able to spread the virus without being affected by it.

• The incubation period i.e the length of time between exposure to the virus and the development of symptoms is between 2 and 21 days.
• Wounds barely heals due to decreased blood clotting thus causing patient to bleed to death.
• Amazingly, Survivors develop antibodies against ebola that last at least 10 years.
• EVD in humans is caused by 4 of 5 viruses of the genus ebola virus. One of the four Zaire ebolavirus is the most dangerous of the known EVD-causing virus and is responsible for the largest number of outbreaks.
• Ebola virus may be able to persist for more than 3months in the semen after recovery, which could lead to infection via sexual intercourse.
• In 2014, the virus was found in the eye of a patient two months after it was cleared from his blood.
• Pigs with EVD get high ebola virus concentration in their lung, and nit their bloodstream.
• Macrophages, monocytes and dentritic cells(body’s immune system components) are the main targets of attack resulting into programmed cell death.
• The NIAID is partnering with the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston to advance a human parainfluenza virus type 3-vectored Ebola vaccine developed by NIAID scientists. The parainfluenza virus is used as a weakened, replicating viral vector, or carrier, to deliver Ebola genetic material designed to stimulate a protective immune response against Ebola virus.

…Nothing beats prevention. Therefore, lets endeavor to eschew anything pointing towards the transmission of ebola for a safer and healthier environment.