UMESH SINGH TOMAR

VEDANT P. MAKWANASARANSH VIJAY

Virus Classification

Group: Group V (-)ssRNA. Order:Mononegavirales

Family:Filoviridae Genus:Ebolavirus

• Ebola’s natural reservoir is unknown.• Non human primates have been the source of

human infections but are not thought to be the reservoirs.

• August 26, 1976 in Yambuku, a town in the north of Zaïre. A 44-year-old school teacher returned from a small hike. His went to the doctor and because of his high fever they gave him a quinine shot which is good against malaria.

• A week later, he had uncontrolled vomiting, bloody diarrhea, trouble breathing and then bleeding from his nose, mouth, and anus.

• He died ~14 days after the onset of symptoms.

• He started an epidemic that killed 280 of the 313 infected persons (88%).

History

• Named after the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of

the Congo (formerly Zaire), near the first epidemics. • Two species were identified in 1976:

– Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV) and

– Sudan ebolavirus (SEBOV)

• Case fatality rates of 83% and 54% respectively.• A third species, Reston ebolavirus (REBOV), was

discovered in November 1989 in a group of monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) imported from the Philippines.

• Ivory Coast ebolavirus – Only one case. Unlucky scientist.

Most Recent

• April 25 – June 16 2005 total of 12 cases including 9 deaths were reported in Etoumbi and Mbomo in the Cuvette Quest Region.

Modes of Transmission

There are 3 modes of infection:

1. Unsterilized needles2. Suboptimal Hospital

conditions3. Personal contact

http://www.ecplanet.com/pic/2003/12/1071257871/ebola.jpg

Symptoms

• Onset of fever.

• Intense weakness.

• Muscle Pain.

• Headache.

• Soar Throat.

• Vommitting, Diarrhoea.

• Impaired Kidnay and liver function.

Is There a Cure?

• There are no known curative medications for Ebola.

• However, there have been very recent developments in preventative medications.

Vaccines

• In June, Jones and his colleagues, Dr. Heinz Feldmann of Winnipeg and Dr. Thomas Geisbert at Fort Detrick, Maryland announced that they had successfully vaccinated monkeys against the deadly Ebola virus

• The Ebola vaccine is based on the 1976 strain of the Zaire species and protects from the 1995, but not the other 2 species that affect humans.

Bioterrorism

• Airborne transmission of Ebola Zaire has been demonstrated in monkeys in a controlled laboratory experiment

• Plum Island…?

INDIA’S SCENARIO: • Alip Das, a 26-year-old man who returned from

Liberia, is suspected to have contracted the deadly disease. He has been admitted to the Raiganj District Hospital in West Bengal for testing.

Conclusion

• Even though scientists have recently made breakthroughs there is still need for extensive research to find vaccines and cures for this deadly virus.

• We have to protect our self from this deadly disease by doing some healthy activities.