EBOLA DISEASE

WHY IN NEWS?

PIB: WHO stresses the role played by community engagement in ebola outbreak

ABOUT

• Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness affecting humans and other primates.

TRANSMISSION

• The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals (such as fruit bats, porcupines and non-human primates) and then spreads in the human population through direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and with surfaces and materials (e.g. bedding, clothing) contaminated with these fluids.
• The average EVD case fatality rate is around 50%. Case fatality rates have varied from 25% to 90% in past outbreaks.

SYMPTOMS

• The symptoms of Ebola infection can be sudden and include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. These are followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, and internal and external bleeding.

PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

• Vaccines to protect against some types of Ebola have been used to control the spread of Ebola in outbreaks. Other vaccines are in development.
• Early supportive care with rehydration and the treatment of symptoms improves survival.
• WHO has made strong recommendations for the use of two monoclonal antibody treatments in treating Ebola: mAb114 (Ansuvimab; Ebanga) and REGN-EB3 (Inmazeb).