Ebola
A virus is an ultramicroscopic infectious organism that, having no independent metabolic activity, can replicate only within a cell of another host organism. A virus consists of a core of nucleic acid, either RNA or DNA, surrounded by a coating of antigenic protein and sometimes a lipid layer surrounds it as well. The virus provides the genetic code for replication, and the host cell provides the necessary energy and raw materials. There are more than 200 viruses that are known to cause disease in humans. The Ebola virus, which dates back to 1976, has four strains each from a different geographic area, but all give their victims the same painful, often lethal symptoms. The Ebola virus is a member of a family of RNA viruses known as ‘Filoviriade' and falling under one genus, ‘Filovirus'. "The Ebola virus and Marburg virus are the two known members of the Filovirus family". Marburg is a relative of the Ebola virus. The four strains of Ebola are Ebola Zaire, Ebola Sudan, Ebola Reston, and Ebola Tai. Each is named after the geographical location in which it was discovered. These filoviruses cause hemorrhagic fever, which is actually what kill victims of the Ebola virus. Hemorrhagic fever as defined in Mosby's Medical, Nursing, and All . . .
The Ebola virus has a tropism for liver cells and macrophages, macrophages are cells that engulf bacteria and help the body defend against disease. This also is the only known strain to be able to be transferred through the air. Nevertheless, these are not the scale of circumstances under which the development of a vaccine could be afforded. Ebola Sudan also occurred in 1976 about the same time as Ebola Zaire. This was the only outbreak of the virus to go outside the continent of Africa. The most frequent symptoms at the onset were fever (94%), diarrhea (80%), and server weakness (74%); other symptoms included dysphagia (41%) and hiccups (15%). There is a good chance that a vaccine may never be synthesized. This strain of the virus effects humans and nonhuman primates. Hundreds to thousands of new virus particles are then released during periods of a few hours to a few days, before the cells die. There is no cure or vaccine and it is still unclear if blood from survivors that contain antibodies can be used to synthesize a serum to treat the disease with. This outbreak had a rate of death over 75%. Another fatal case was reported one year later in Zaire but nothing major ever became of it. In reported outbreaks, 50%-90% of cases have been fatal. Ebola Tai, which was named after the forest in which it was found, is the newest stain of the Ebola family. Thousands of animals captured near outbreak areas, are tested for the virus, but efforts have always been unsuccessful.
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