By CNN......
Facts:
Ebola hemorrhagic fever is a disease caused by
one of five different Ebola viruses. Four of the
strains can cause severe illness in humans and
animals. The fifth, Reston virus, has caused
illness in some animals, but not in humans.
The first human outbreaks occurred in 1976, one
in northern Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the
Congo ) in Central Africa: and the other, in
southern Sudan (now South Sudan) . The virus is
named after the Ebola River, where the virus was
first recognized in 1976, according to the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention.
Ebola is extremely infectious but not extremely
contagious. It is infectious, because an
infinitesimally small amount can cause illness.
Laboratory experiments on nonhuman primates
suggest that even a single virus may be enough
to trigger a fatal infection.
Instead, Ebola could be considered moderately
contagious, because the virus is not transmitted
through the air. The most contagious diseases,
such as measles or influenza, virus particles are
airborne.
Humans can be infected by other humans if they
come in contact with body fluids from an infected
person or contaminated objects from infected
persons. Humans can also be exposed to the
virus, for example, by butchering infected animals.
While the exact reservoir of Ebola viruses is still
unknown, researchers believe the most likely
natural hosts are fruit bats .
Symptoms of Ebola typically include : weakness,
fever, aches, diarrhea, vomiting and stomach
pain. Additional experiences include rash, red
eyes, chest pain, throat soreness, difficulty
breathing or swallowing and bleeding (including
internal).
Typically, symptoms appear 8-10 days after
exposure to the virus, but the incubation period
can span two to 21 days.
Unprotected health care workers are susceptible
to infection because of their close contact with
patients during treatment.
Deadly human Ebola outbreaks have been
confirmed in the following countries: Democratic
Republic of the Congo (DRC), Gabon, South
Sudan, Ivory Coast, Uganda, Republic of the
Congo (ROC), Guinea and Liberia .
According to the World Health Organization,
"there is no specific treatment or vaccine," and
the fatality rate can be up to 90%. Patients are
given supportive care, which includes providing
fluids and electrolytes and food.
There are five subspecies of the Ebola virus: Zaire
ebolavirus (EBOV), Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV),
Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV), Taï Forest ebolavirus
(TAFV) and Reston ebolavirus (RESTV)
Statistics:
There have been more than 3,300 reported human
cases and more than 2,000 deaths since the
discovery of Ebola.
Timeline:
*Includes outbreaks resulting in more than 100
deaths or special cases.
1976 - First recognition of the EBOV disease is in
Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo).
The outbreak has 318 reported human cases,
leading to 280 deaths. An SUDV outbreak also
occurs in Sudan (now South Sudan), which incurs
284 cases and 151 deaths.
1989 - In Reston, Virginia, macaque monkeys
imported from the Philippines are found to be
infected with the Ebola virus (later named the
Ebola-Reston virus).
1990 - In Texas and Virginia quarantine facilities,
four humans develop Ebola antibodies after
contact with monkeys imported from the
Philippines. None of the humans has symptoms.
1995 - An outbreak in Democratic Republic of the
Congo (formerly Zaire) leads to 315 reported
cases and at least 250 deaths.
2000-2001 - A Ugandan outbreak (SUDV) results
in 425 human cases and 224 deaths.
2001-2002 - An EBOV outbreak occurs on the
border of Gabon and Republic of the Congo
(ROC), which results in 53 deaths on the Gabon
side and at least 43 deaths on the Republic of the
Congo side.
December 2002-April 2003 - An EBOV outbreak in
Republic of the Congo results in 143 reported
cases and 128 deaths.
2007 - An EBOV outbreak occurs in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), 187 of
the 264 cases reported result in death. In late
2007, an outbreak in Uganda leads to 37 deaths.
149 cases were reported.
November 2008 - The Ebola-Reston virus
(RESTV) is detected in five humans in the
Philippines. They are workers on a pig farm and
slaughterhouse and suffer no symptoms. This is
the first known occurrence of the Reston virus in
pigs.
2014 Outbreak :
Confirmed or suspected cases of Ebola as of
August 1, 2014 ( World Health Organization ):
Guinea - 485 cases, 358 deaths
Liberia - 468 cases, 255 deaths
Nigeria - 4 cases, 1 death
Sierra Leone - 646 cases, 273 deaths
March 25, 2014 - The CDC issues its initial
announcement on an outbreak in Guinea, and
reports of cases in Liberia and Sierra Leone. "In
Guinea, a total of 86 suspected cases, including
59 deaths (case fatality ratio: 68.5%), had been
reported as of March 24, 2014. Preliminary results
from the Pasteur Institute in Lyon, France suggest
Zaire ebolavirus as the causative agent."
July 2014 - Patrick Sawyer, a top government
official in the Liberian Ministry of Finance, dies at
a local Nigerian hospital. He is the first American
to die in what officials are calling "deadliest Ebola
outbreak in history."
July 2014 - Nancy Writebol, an American aid
worker in Liberia, tests positive for Ebola.
According to Samaritan's Purse, Writebol is
infected treating Ebola patients in Liberia.
July 26, 2014 - Kent Brantly , medical director for
Samaritan Purse's Ebola Consolidated Case
Management Center in Liberia, is infected with the
virus. According to Samaritan's Purse, Brantly is
infected while treating Ebola patients.
July 29, 2014 - According to Doctors Without
Borders, Dr. Sheik Humarr Khan who was
overseeing Ebola treatment at Kenema
Government Hospital in Sierra Leone dies from
complications of the disease.
July 30, 2014 - The Peace Corps announces it is
removing its volunteers from Liberia, Sierra Leone
and Guinea.
July 31, 2014 - CDC raises its warning to Level
3 . It warns U.S. residents to avoid "nonessential
travel" to Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia.
August 2, 2014 - A specially equipped medical
plane carrying Ebola patient Dr. Kent Brantly lands
at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia.
He is then driven by ambulance to Emory
University Hospital in Atlanta.
August 4, 2014 - CNN reports that three top
secret, experimental vials of the drug, "ZMapp,"
were flown into Liberia last week in a last-ditch
effort to save Brantly and Writebol, according to a
source familiar with details of the treatment.
Doctors report "significant improvement."
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