Where did Ebola come from?
Dec 12, 2007
EBOLA is actually a river in the DR Congo. However, this name is now being shared with a deadly viral disease. Between 50 – 90% of people who get sick as a result of Ebola infection die. <br>According to the World Health Organisation, the disease was discovered after two significant epidemics in
EBOLA is actually a river in the DR Congo. However, this name is now being shared with a deadly viral disease. Between 50 – 90% of people who get sick as a result of Ebola infection die.
According to the World Health Organisation, the disease was discovered after two significant epidemics in 1976.
Between June and November that year, the Ebola virus (Ebola-Sudan) infected 284 people in Southern Sudan. Of these 117 people died.
In the northern part of DR Congo, then Zaire, there were 318 cases and 280 deaths in September and October of the same year. This strain was named Ebola – Zaire. An isolated case occurred in the DR Congo the following year. But Sudan was not as lucky because the second Ebola occurrence there was another outbreak in 1979.
The natural reservoir of the Ebola virus is believed to reside in the rain forests of Africa and Asia but has not yet been identified.
No specific treatment or vaccine exists for Ebola haemorrhagic fever. Severe cases require intensive supportive care, as patients are frequently dehydrated and in need of intravenous fluids.
However, according to www.afrol.com scientists are still working on the development of vaccinations against Ebola, and recent studies show that these may be working on laboratory animals. There are also promising signs of the development of some therapies that can be used on victims.
Despite the tremendous effort of experienced and dedicated researchers, Ebola’s natural reservoir (the original source of the disease) has never been identified. Much of the scientific work underway is focused on finding this reservoir.
Extensive ecological studies are currently under way in Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon and the DRC to identify the reservoir and the animals, which originally hosted the virus. Scientists believe, finding the reservoir of the virus would help understand how it works and thus ease the efforts to find a cure or a vaccine.
Uganda has had two major outbreaks of Ebola. The first was in October 2000 in the northern district of Gulu. According to WHO, 425 people were infected and 224 died between September 2000 and January 2001. It was the largest documented Ebola outbreak.
In the current outbreak in western Uganda, at least 30 people have died and 116 have been infected. Health officials believe the current outbreak is a different strain. This outbreak is linked to an earlier one in Eastern DR Congo in September.
Compiled by Harriet Onyalla
According to the World Health Organisation, the disease was discovered after two significant epidemics in 1976.
Between June and November that year, the Ebola virus (Ebola-Sudan) infected 284 people in Southern Sudan. Of these 117 people died.
In the northern part of DR Congo, then Zaire, there were 318 cases and 280 deaths in September and October of the same year. This strain was named Ebola – Zaire. An isolated case occurred in the DR Congo the following year. But Sudan was not as lucky because the second Ebola occurrence there was another outbreak in 1979.
The natural reservoir of the Ebola virus is believed to reside in the rain forests of Africa and Asia but has not yet been identified.
No specific treatment or vaccine exists for Ebola haemorrhagic fever. Severe cases require intensive supportive care, as patients are frequently dehydrated and in need of intravenous fluids.
However, according to www.afrol.com scientists are still working on the development of vaccinations against Ebola, and recent studies show that these may be working on laboratory animals. There are also promising signs of the development of some therapies that can be used on victims.
Despite the tremendous effort of experienced and dedicated researchers, Ebola’s natural reservoir (the original source of the disease) has never been identified. Much of the scientific work underway is focused on finding this reservoir.
Extensive ecological studies are currently under way in Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon and the DRC to identify the reservoir and the animals, which originally hosted the virus. Scientists believe, finding the reservoir of the virus would help understand how it works and thus ease the efforts to find a cure or a vaccine.
Uganda has had two major outbreaks of Ebola. The first was in October 2000 in the northern district of Gulu. According to WHO, 425 people were infected and 224 died between September 2000 and January 2001. It was the largest documented Ebola outbreak.
In the current outbreak in western Uganda, at least 30 people have died and 116 have been infected. Health officials believe the current outbreak is a different strain. This outbreak is linked to an earlier one in Eastern DR Congo in September.
Compiled by Harriet Onyalla