The Ebola Virus (part 1)
The Ebola virus is the most deadly filoviruses known. The family of filoviruses (filamentous virus) includes the four classes of Marburg and Ebola viruses. These 4 types (or strains) are called Ebola Zaire, Ebola Sudan, Ebola Reston and Ebola Tai Forest (Ebola Ivory Coast). The worst is the Zaire Ebola kills nine in ten people infected. Sudan remains the strain with a mortality rate of 60%. It is unclear whether the latest strains cause human deaths (not killed any humans). This virus was discovered in Africa . It takes its name from the Ebola River in the current DRC (then Zaire).
The Ebola virus is responsible for an acute febrile illness, severe and often very deadly affects humans and primates. It produces a hemorrhagic fever similar characteristics to Argentina hemorrhagic fever (Junin virus). Is called hemorrhagic fever because it presents with high fever associated with generalized bleeding.
The recognition of the virus was first made during a simultaneous epidemic in Zaire and Sudan. Of the total 550 cases, killed 470. The epidemic spread through direct contact with the sick and the reuse of needles. In 1995 there was another outbreak in Zaire, where 250 cases were diagnosed of whom 80% died. Despite extensive research is still unknown what the natural reservoir of the virus, so it is unknown how the virus which infects humans and starts the epidemic.
Viruses are usually named with the name of the country or place where they were discovered. The responsibility of giving the name to a virus that lies in discovering it.
Ebola Virus Symptoms
The symptoms of Ebola are similar to those of other diseases such as malaria, common in Africa and other diseases.
After an incubation period of three to nine days, nonspecific symptoms like malaise, headache, conjunctivitis, muscle aches, nausea and vomiting. Typically, the fever is 39 to 40 ° C. After one to three days, watery diarrhea is observed mental disorders. The most reliable clinical sign is the appearance between the fifth and seventh day of a rash on the face and neck that expands into a centrifuge to members, while appearing skin hemorrhages, gastrointestinal, kidney and eye. Other manifestations include the inflation of the heart muscle, pancreas, spleen and liver.
The virus is very contagious from person to person, the person spread the virus through blood and other secretions (saliva, sweat, semen, vaginal secretions). There is no drug to cure the disease nor the vaccine that prevents there.
These symptoms as stated above, are mistaken for other diseases, thus performing a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) said in English that if their numbers in Spanish (PCR) is mistaken for the Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation. This technique or study to identify the virus is a specific test, and indeed very expensive, making the polymerase reaction (which is located in the chromosomes or chromatin). Their reaction stands for polymerase chain.