One way of preventing infection is to use personal protective equipment, such as protective clothing, gloves, masks, and goggles to prevent contamination of the worker. Ebola virus disease evd, one of the deadliest viral diseases, was discovered in 1976 when two consecutive outbreaks of fatal hemorrhagic fever occurred in different parts of central africa. The 20142016 ebola outbreak in west africa has ended. People can get evd through direct contact with an infected animal bat or nonhuman primate or a sick or dead person infected with ebola virus. Four of the six known ebolaviruses, including ebov, cause a severe and often fatal hemorrhagic fever in humans and other mammals, known as ebola virus disease evd. The initial symptoms of the ebola virus disease are very similar to influenza. Ebola, previously known as ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a rare and deadly disease caused by infection with one of the ebola virus species. However, its high casefatality rate, potential for humantohuman transmission and propensity to be associated with hospitalbased transmission is both concerning and a fertile source for hysteria 31,32.
Apr 21, 2015 over the past 40 years, sporadic ebola virus disease evd outbreaks have occurred mostly in the central african region. But the ongoing west african outbreak is the largest ebola virus disease outbreak in the history, world health organization who reported a total of 28,599 cases observed and 11,289 deaths from. History of ebola virus disease error processing ssi file. On march 18, 2014 guinean health officials announce the outbreak of a mysterious hemorrhagic fever which strikes like lightning. To properly counteract evd, an improved understanding of the longterm impact of recent evd outbreaks in west africa and the democratic republic of congo are needed. Between 31 july and 6 october 1979, 34 cases of ebola virus disease 22 of which were fatal occurred among five families in a rural district of southern sudan. Ebola virus disease evd, one of the deadliest viral diseases, was. Introduction to ebola virus disease world health organization. Limited evidence is available on pediatric disease course and prognosis. Years of ebola virus disease outbreaks error processing. Factsheets communication resources ebola ebola virus.
This article explains clearly the ebola virus disease history. International colloquium on ebola virus infection and other haemorrhagic fevers. Ebola virus disease is one of the most deadly ailments known to mankind due to its high mortality rate up to 90% accompanying with the disease. Ebola virus disease evd is a rare and deadly disease most commonly affecting people and nonhuman primates monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees.
Ebola virus has caused the majority of human deaths from evd, and was the cause of the 202016 epidemic in western africa, which resulted in at least 28,646 suspected cases and. The ebola virus can cause severe viral haemorrhagic fever ebola hf outbreaks in. Infection control branch infection control recommendations for ebola virus disease evd in healthcare settings disease information please refer to website of centre for health protection. Who is receiving reports of an outbreak of ebola virus disease evd. Ebola virus, a rna virus, was discovered in 1976 as zaire ebolavirus and currently is responsible for outbreak in the west africa.
Since the discovery of ebola virus in 1976 via traditional viral culture techniques and electron microscopy, diagnostic. Currently, there are evd outbreaks in several western african nations, including guinea, liberia, sierra leone and parts of nigeria. The viruses that cause evd are located mainly in subsaharan africa. Ebola vaccines are a number of vaccines to prevent ebola that are either approved or in development. Both cases passed away in the community after visiting several healthcare facilities.
The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and then spreads in the human population through humantohuman transmission. Be aware that ebola guidance documents from the centers for disease control and prevention cdc are being addedupdated periodically. On march 2014 the who notified the outbreak of ebola virus disease evd in guinea, and infection quickly spread to another west african countries including sierra leone, liberia and nigeria. The first outbreak occurred in the democratic republic of congo formerly zaire in a village near the ebola river, which gave the virus its name. Perspectives on west africa ebola virus disease outbreak. Ebola virus disease formerly known as ebola haemorrhagic fever is a severe, often fatal illness, with a death rate of up to 90% caused by ebola virus, a member of the filovirus family. Introduction ebola virus disease evd is one of the deadliest haemorrhagic fevers affecting humans and nonhuman primates. The four villages have been singled out for analysis because they belong to a trans. English 1 november 23, 2014 ebola discovered in 1976 near the ebola river, ebolas first two outbreaks in sudan and zaire killed the majority, over half, of the people infected with the disease. Ebola is extremely infectious but not extremely contagious. Ebola virus from neglected threat to global emergency state. For a patient to be suspected of having ebola virus disease, heshe must meet the following clinical and epidemiological criteria. Ebola virus disease who regional office for africa. Prevention and control measures for hospitals 4 for all febrile travellers from a malariaendemic area e.
Laboratory diagnosis of ebola virus disease plays a critical role in outbreak response efforts. The ebola virus ebov is the cause of an emerging disease that may be harbored across a much larger geographic range then previously assumed. As of november 14, 2014, the world health organization has reported a total of 21,296 ebola virus disease evd. The natural and human history of a deadly virus by. Ebola disease ebola disease is a severe, often fatal illness in humans. What is ebola virus ebola disease symptoms, causes.
Fruit bats belonging to the pteropodidae family are thought to be the natural hosts of the ebola virus, although the virus has not been isolated yet from bats in natural conditions. Healthcare staff are at much greater risk of infections such as ebola virus disease or sars than people in general. Current outbreak is the largest in the history, since discovery of. The ministry of health and who continue to closely monitor the outbreak of ebola virus disease evd in the democratic republic of the congo. Ebola is also known as ebola virus disease evd or ebola hemorrhagic fever ehf. Skip directly to site content skip directly to page options skip directly to az link. Ebola virus disease evd is a rare and deadly disease in people and nonhuman primates. Prior to this, the last person who was confirmed to have evd in the democratic republic of the congo tested negative twice. The virus causing the current outbreak in drc and the 20142016 west african outbreak belongs to the zaire ebolavirus species. Ebola can cause disease in humans and nonhuman primates monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees. Ebola virus disease is rare and represents a miniscule fraction of the major infectious diseases burden in africa. Implementation and management of contact tracing for ebola. An outbreak of ebola virus disease evd in west africa, with onset in. Person under investigation pui a person who has both consistent symptoms and risk factors as follows.
Four of the strains can cause severe illness in humans and animals. Early supportive care with rehydration, symptomatic treatment improves survival. List of ebola outbreaks cases and outbreaks of ebola virus disease. The outbreak started in guinea and rapidly spread to liberia and sierra leone, claiming thousands of lives. Signs and symptoms typically start between two days and three weeks after contracting the virus with a fever, sore throat, muscular pain, and headaches. Oct 21, 2014 an outbreak of ebola virus disease evd has jolted west africa, claiming more than lives since the virus emerged in guinea in early 2014. Ebola virus disease, democratic republic of the congo, 2014. Ebola virus disease evd is a lifethreatening viral disease with a fatality rate ranging from around 30% to 90%. History of smallpox inpact of smallpox on world history. May 29, 2015 ebola virus ebov belongs to the filoviridae family and is responsible for a severe disease characterized by the sudden onset of fever and malaise accompanied by other nonspecific signs and symptoms. There are five ebola subspecies, four of which are known to cause the disease.
Note that the following timeline of ebola virus history contains both ebola virus disease and those infections caused by ebola virus strains that did not lead to ebola virus disease. Most of the known information on filoviruses can be found in marburg virus disease, ebola virus haemorrhagic fever, and this supplement. Ebola virus disease evd, a severe, often fatal illness in humans, has remained a major public health concern in many parts of subsaharan africa since it appeared in 1976 in zaire now the democratic republic of the congo drc. The first outbreak of ebola ebola sudan infected over 284 people, with a mortality rate of 53%. Distribution of ebola virus disease cases by health zone in equateur province. Ebola virus hemorrhagic fever is a zoonotic disease transmitted accidentally by direct contact with infected live or dead animals. Ebov, sudan virus, reston virus, tai forest virus and bundibugyo virus. Ebola haemorrhagic fever ehf is an infectious disease of animal that can be transmitted to both human and nonhuman primates. The first evd outbreak was reported in the 1970s in zaire now the democratic. File type pdf ebola the natural and human history of a deadly virus david quammen 202016 ebola outbreak in west africa shocked the world. Ebola virus disease evd outbreaks in congo and who has declared public health emergency. This outbreak was also unique in that it triggered the initiation and implementation of comprehensive research programmes into ebolavirus.
Several promising vaccine candidates have been shown to protect nonhuman primates usually macaques against lethal. Pathogenesis of uveitis in ebola virus disease survivors. This study, which was carried out in december 2014, aimed to find out how 25 villages viewed the ebola threat, and how they coped with regulations designed to eliminate the disease. Emergence of ebola in humans, identifying a host, history of ebola. Brief general history of ebola stanford university. Thirtyfour outbreaks have been reported in africa since it was first.
Marburg and ebola viruses has just been published and contains, but is not limited to, particularly good summaries of recent work on the molecular biology of filoviruses. Wellknown agents are ebola, marburg and dengue viruses also see hantavirus and yellow fever guidelines. This is the first time the disease has been detected in west africa. It is caused by an infection with one of five known ebola virus species, four of which can cause disease in people. Ebola virus disease evd is a rare but serious disease caused by infection of the ebola virus. The average ebola case fatality rate is around 50%. In 2014, west african countries guinea, liberia, and sierra leone.
Ebola was first identified in 1976 near the ebola river in the country now known as the democratic republic of the congo. Centers for disease control and prevention, national center for emerging and zoonotic infectious diseases ncezid, division of highconsequence pathogens. It is a severe, often fatal disease 50%90% fatality in humans and nonhuman primates such as monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees. In march 2014, an outbreak of evd was recognized in guinea which would become the most significant outbreak of haemorrhagic fever in africa to date. Ebola, ebola virus disease, fact sheet created date. This brief book is a product of sections of his 2012 book spillover and recent events.
Mbgv, both of which are associated with severe disease marburg virus disease mvd in humans 3,4. The natural and human history of a deadly virus is a very interesting behindthescenes look at the quest to find the host animal carrying this devastating virus. Ebola virus was first described in 1976 near the ebola river in what is now the democratic republic of congo. An overview of ebola virus disease ayten kadanali, gul karagoz department of infectious diseases and clinical microbiology, umraniye training and research hospital, istanbul, turkey abstract ebola virus disease evd, formerly known as ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans.
One affects only nonhuman primates monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees and pigs. Several cases of ebola have been reported in the u. Health care providers should be alert for and evaluate any patients suspected of having ebola virus disease evd. Ebola virus disease evd general information what is ebola virus disease. On 27 june 2018, all the people who were exposed to the last confirmed evd casepatient completed their mandatory 21day follow up without developing symptoms. Pdf over the past 40 years, sporadic ebola virus disease evd outbreaks have occurred mostly in the central african region. Since the first recorded human outbreak in 1976, many teams have attempted to unravel the natural history of ebov in africa. The fifth, reston virus, has caused illness in some animals, but not in humans.
The mucinliked region of the ebola virus envelope play a significant role in viral infection in nonhuman primates and. Contact tracing is one of the tools to effectively break. Ebola virus disease evd is one of numerous viral hemorrhagic fevers. On 27 june 2018, all the people who were exposed to the last confirmed evd casepatient completed their mandatory 21day follow up. From origins to outbreak covers ebola virus disease in its entirety from its origins through major outbreaks in the past to the present day outbreak. Chughtai, helping to solve the primary question of whats next and aiding in. Ebola virus is infamous due to its reputation in hemorrhagic fever disease outbreaks in various countries of the world including. It contains information on the west saharan response to ebola as well as highlights from the field in west africa from dr. Agents of ebola virus disease or viral hemorrhagic fever include four main viral families filoviruses, arenaviruses, bunyaviruses, flaviviruses.
In this article, we present an overview of the pathogen, its epidemiology and transmission, clinical and laboratory manifestations, treatment and infection control procedures, with an emphasis on what is known about ebola virus disease in the pediatric population. Outbreak of ebola virus disease in west africa ecdc. The other genus in the family filoviridae is marburgvirus, consisting of marburg virus and ravn virus termed marburgviruses. Each of the known cases and outbreaks of ebola virus disease are described below by year or country. Over the past 40 years, sporadic ebola virus disease evd outbreaks have occurred mostly in the central african region.
Ebola the natural and human history of a deadly virus. Some outbreaks in human history have proven the lethality. Oct 03, 2016 ebola symptoms in the initial stage of the disease. Since the first case of ebola, there have been multiple ebola virus disease outbreaks in history, mostly in western africa. In comparison with earlier ebola outbreaks mortality have been higher 80 90 percent, but number of cases was a thousand times lower. Therefore, it is important to identify and isolate symptomatic persons immediately in order to stop the disease from spreading. Aug 23, 2018 ebola virus, together with the marburg virus, belongs to the family filoviridae. Ebola virus disease evd is a severe disease caused by ebola virus, a member of the filovirus family, which occurs in humans and other primates. Ebola is caused by a virus of the family filoviridae, genus ebolavirus.
Outbreak of ebola virus disease in west africa, ninth. Also, the ebola victims will experience weakness, fever, tiredness, muscle soreness, pain in joints, sore throat and loss of appetite. In 1976, ebola named after the ebola river in zaire first emerged in sudan and zaire. Suspected cases have also been reported along the border with guinea in sierra leone, but none of these have so far tested positive. September 4, 2014 early recognition is critical for infection control. It was identified as ebola virus disease and spread to sierra leone by may 2014. Cluster of ebola virus disease, bong and montserrado counties. Focussing on systematic recording of travel history and vaccinations. A few months later, the second ebola virus emerged from yambuku, zaire, ebola zaire eboz.
The rapidly increasing numbers of cases in the african countries of guinea, liberia, and sierra leone have had public health authorities on high alert throughout the spring and summer. The present large outbreak of ebov illustrates how an emerging disease may start and spread, the difficulty of its. Ebola virus disease for clinicians, evaluating patients, cleaning and disinfecting, emergency services, and outpatient settings. Therapeutic agents 161chapter 11 the most notable antiviral agent to date is the drug brincidofovir discovered by dr hostetler, a professor of medicine at the university of california, san diego school of medicine. The natural and human history of a deadly virus by david quammen ebola. Ebola virus disease, causes, signs and symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. Ebola virus disease is considered to be zoonotic, with occasional spillovers to humans, apes, and possibly other animals. Ebola virus disease evd, or simply ebola, is a viral haemorrhagic fever of humans and other primates caused by ebolaviruses. A person with ebola virus disease can spread the disease to others as soon as he or she begins to have symptoms.
It had been used extensively in kivu ebola epidemic under a compassionate use protocol. Reports of what has become the largest and longest epidemic of ebola virus disease evd began in march 2014 in west africa. Medical scientific community first encountered this viral family when marburg virus appeared in 1967. An ebola virus epidemic in sierra leone occurred in 2014, along with the neighbouring countries of guinea and liberia. Ebola virus disease evd is associated with haemorrhagic fever in humans and nonhuman primates, with a high rate of fatality up to 90%. To interrupt ebola transmission, health care authorities must promptly isolate and treat persons with evd and identify and monitor exposed persons before symptoms develop. Visit the ebola outbreak section for information on current ebola outbreaks on march 23, 2014, the world health organization who reported cases of ebola virus disease evd in the forested rural region of southeastern guinea. What is ebola virus, what is the origin of ebola virus, its. Ebola virus, together with the marburg virus, belongs to the family filoviridae. Medical scientific community first encountered this viral family when marburg virus. Ebola virus disease and ebola hemorrhagic fever, evd and ehf respectively, are diseases in primates and humans caused by the ebola virus.
The report describes measures taken by the guinean ministry of health, together with who and other partners, to control the outbreak and prevent further spread. Ebola virus disease evd is a severe, often fatal, viral disease. Case definition for ebola virus disease evd updated. In march 2014, the largest ebola outbreak in history exploded across west africa. Ebola virus, formally called zaire ebolavirus, is a rare virus that infects humans and nonhuman animals such as pigs and other primates. Ebola virus haemorrhagic fever viral diseases enivd. In this study will be presented epidemiology and pathogenesis of ebola virus disease including new findings resulting from the studies linked with 2014 ebola outbreak in west africa. The first vaccine to be approved in the united states was rvsvzebov in december 2019. Ebola hemorrhagic fever is a disease caused by one of five different ebola viruses. The natural history of ebola virus in africa sciencedirect. The world health organization publishes the first report on the ebola outbreak in guinea.