Ebola virus: how it came about, types and how to protect yourself

The first cases of death recorded by the Ebola virus appeared in Central Africa in 1976, when humans were contaminated through contact with monkey corpses.

Although the origin of Ebola is uncertain, it is known that the virus is present in some species of bats that do not develop the disease, but are able to transmit it. Thus, it is possible that some animals, such as the monkey or the wild boar, eat fruits contaminated with the saliva of bats and, consequently, infect humans by consuming the contaminated boar as food.

After contamination by animals, humans are able to transmit the virus among themselves in saliva, blood and other bodily secretions, such as semen or sweat.

Ebola has no cure and, therefore, it is very important to avoid transmission of the virus from person to person through the hospitalization of patients in isolation and the use of special protective equipment (PPE)

Types of Ebola

There are 5 different types of Ebola, named according to the region where they first appeared, although any type of Ebola has a high mortality rate and causes the same symptoms in patients.

The 5 known types of Ebola are:

• Ebola Zaire; Ebola Bundibugyo; Ebola Ivory Coast; Ebola Reston; Ebola Sudan.

When an individual is infected with one type of Ebola virus and survives, he becomes immune to that strain of the virus, however he is not immune to the other four types, and he can contract Ebola again.

How Ebola Transmission Happens

Ebola transmission occurs through direct contact with blood, saliva, tears, sweat or semen from infected patients and animals, even after their death.

In addition, Ebola transmission can also happen when the patient sneezes or coughs without protecting the mouth and nose, however, unlike the flu, it is necessary to be very close and with more frequent contact to catch the disease.

Normally, individuals who have been in contact with an Ebola patient should be monitored for 3 weeks by measuring body temperature, twice a day and, if they have a fever above 38.3º, they should be admitted to start treatment.

How to protect yourself from Ebola

To protect yourself from Ebola, what you should do is avoid contact with infected patients and animals, use personal protective equipment with a mask, lab coat, glasses and gloves, as well as washing your hands frequently and avoid going to public places with a lot of people.

Symptoms of the Ebola virus

First symptoms

The first symptoms of the Ebola virus can take 2 to 21 days to appear after contamination and include:

• Fever above 38.3ºC; Nausea; Sore throat; Cough; Excessive tiredness; Severe headaches.

Later symptoms

After 1 week the symptoms may worsen:

• Vomiting (which may contain blood); Diarrhea (which may contain blood); Sore throat; Hemorrhages that lead to bleeding through the nose, ear, mouth or intimate region; Blood stains or blisters on the skin; Brain changes and possible coma.

How the diagnosis is made

The diagnosis of Ebola is made through laboratory tests. The presence of IgM antibodies may appear 2 days after the onset of symptoms and disappear between 30 and 168 days after infection.

The disease is confirmed by specific laboratory tests, such as PCR, using two blood samples, the second collection being 48 hours after the first one.

Prevention Measures

Prevention measures for the Ebola virus are:

• Avoid outbreak areas; Wash your hands with soap and water several times a day; Stay away from Ebola patients and also those killed by Ebola because they can also transmit the disease; Don't eat 'game meat', be careful with bats that may be contaminated with the virus, as they are natural reservoirs; Do not touch the body fluids of an infected person, such as blood, vomit, feces or diarrhea, urine, coughing and sneezing secretions and the private parts; Wear gloves, rubber clothing and mask when coming into contact with a contaminated person, not touching this person and disinfecting all this material after use; burning all the clothes of the person who died from Ebola.

As the infection with Ebola can take up to 21 days to be discovered, during an Ebola outbreak it is recommended to avoid traveling to the affected places and also places that border these countries. Another measure that can be useful is to avoid public places with large concentrations of people, because it is not always known who may be infected and the transmission of the virus is easy.

What to do if you get sick with Ebola

What is recommended to do in case of Ebola infection is to keep your distance from all people and seek a treatment center as soon as possible because the sooner treatment is started, the greater the chances of recovery. Be especially careful with vomiting and diarrhea.

How to Treat Ebola

Treatment for the Ebola virus consists of keeping the patient hydrated and fed, but there is no specific treatment that is able to cure Ebola. Infected patients are kept in isolation in the hospital to maintain hydration and control infections that may arise, to reduce vomiting and also to prevent the transmission of the disease to others.

Researchers are studying how to create a drug that can neutralize the Ebola virus and also a vaccine that can prevent Ebola, but despite scientific advances, they have not yet been approved for use in humans.