An Influence of Ebola Virus

Ebola virus disease is a very deadly disease found in people and animals, it is also a very rare disease. This virus is mostly found n Africa, and can be transferred through contact with an infected animal or a person already infected with Ebola. This disease when discovered in 1976, became a very dangerous disease, which if not contained properly can take the lives of many.

        Ebola disease has been found to attack different types of immune cells, which infects dendritic cells. These cells which normally displays signals of an infection and activated T lymphocytes. These lymphocytes are white blood that destroys cells that are infected before he virus spreads any further. When dendritic cells fail to signal the T cells about infection the virus then starts to spread at an alarming rate.

Once the virus begins to travel in the blood to new sites in the body, immune cells called macrophages begin to eat it up. Once the macrophages become infected, they then release proteins that produces coagulation, this act cause formation of small clots throughout the blood vessels and reduces blood supply to the organs in the body. This also causes other inflammatory signaling proteins which can damage the lining of the blood vessel. The damage done to thy body is one of the main and most gruesome symptoms, but not all patients will show hemorrhaging externally.

This virus disease is known to cause inflammation, fever, and can cause damage to the tissues on your body. Although it is known that Ebola attacks many organs, the liver takes on the most damage because the virus wipes out the cells that are needed to produce coagulation. The cells that are damaged in the gastrointestinal tract then leads to diarrhea which puts the patient at risk of becoming dehydrated. The virus also attacks the adrenal glands and then stops the cells that creates the steroids needed to make steroids to regulate blood pressure, causing circulatory failure that starves the organs of oxygen. What initially kills Ebola patients is the damage to the blood vessels, which leads to a drop in blood pressure. They then die from shock and multiple organ failure.

Symptoms of the Ebola Virus

Disease start of with a sudden onset of fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache and a sore throat. At first the symptoms might seem as if you have the common flu.This is then followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rashes, and in some cases bleeding internally or even sometimes externally. These symptoms can initially start to appear 2 to 21 days after coming into contact with the virus, and the person does not become infectious until they start to show signs and symptoms. After the 21 days without the symptoms, a person is no inter at risk for Ebola. Ebola is transmitted through contact with the blood of an infected person or animal, or any bodily fluids. Also coming into contact with the body of a person who died from Ebola can be infectious. Ebola does not spread through the air, which means that a person cannot get infected by another person sneezing or coughing around them.

There is no known treatment or cure for Ebola yet, although researchers are trying to find one. The only way of managing the symptoms of Ebola is to treat them as they appear. Giving the patient a lot of fluids and electrolytes, also with offering oxygen therapy to maintain the balance of oxygen in the body helps. In order to recover fro Ebola Virus Disease, a person will need very good supportive care. Patients that do recover end up developing antibodies that can last for up to 10 years and over. They also end up with long term complication like joint and vision problems.

Cite this page