The Ebola virus, named after the Ebola River in Zaire, is a highly contagious virus. Ebola is one of the most frightening viruses to come out of the African continent. It spread through villages and killed many people. These people had respiratory problems, loss of appetite, and severe hemorrhaging after infection. Its fatality rate is from 50 to 90 percent. .
History of Ebola.
The Ebola virus was first documented in Zimbabwe, South Africa and in Kenya in 1976. Two major outbreaks occurred almost simultaneously in Zaire and Sudan. Over 500 cases were reported, with a mortality rate of 88% in Zaire and 53% in Sudan. A single case was confirmed by virus isolation in Zaire in 1977 and 1979. Ebola hemorrhagic fever occurred again in Sudan at the same site as in 1976. Besides these episodes, documented by virus isolation, two more fatal and two nonfatal cases have been reported. A third filovirus, serologically related to Ebola virus was isolated from cynomolgus monkeys ( Macaca fascicularis ) which originated in the Philippines. A Bolivian Hemorrhagic Fever outbreak in July 1962 had a 50% mortality rate. It is not yet proven if this was an Ebola strain or a separate Hemorrhagic Fever. In 1980, David Heymann, discovered the presence of the Ebola antibodies in pygmies living in the deeper forests of Cameroon. This led the scientists to again feel that the !.
vector or vectors may have orig inated in an animal or in more than one species such as bats or monkeys. The study was inconclusive as to origin of the virus. .
Symptoms of Ebola.
The Ebola virus, which causes hemorrhagic fever, begins it's effect in 4 to 10 days after the infection. It is characterized by such symptoms as fevers, chills, headaches, muscle aches, and loss of appetite. As the disease progresses, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, sore throats, chest pain, and bleeding from body openings can occur. The blood fails to clot and patients may bleed from injection sites as well as into the gastrointestinal tract, skin, and internal organs.
