Ebola scare

By: Dorian Jenkins

Ebola is a rare and deadly disease caused by an infection with a strain of Ebola virus. The disease is found in several African countries and it was first discovered in 1976, near the Ebola River. Ebola is spread through direct contact with blood and bodily fluids of a person already showing the symptoms of Ebola. Ebola is not spread through the air, water, food, or insects. However, the first appearance of the virus in a human, at the start of the outbreak, is unknown.

Diagnosing someone who has only been infected with Ebola for a few days can be very difficult, because the symptoms, such as fever, are non specific to an Ebola infection and are often seen in patients with more commonly occurring diseases. However, if someone is in contact with someone who they know has the disease, then it would be easier to isolate the person and treat them. A Seckman High School sophomore, Jack, says, “I think that if you have been near anyone with Ebola, then you should be quarantined immediately before being allowed to go anywhere.”

The symptoms of Ebola may include: fever, severe headache, muscle pain, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and unexplained hemorrhaging. Symptoms can appear anywhere from 2-21 days after exposure to Ebola, but the average is 8-10 days. Recovery from Ebola depends on good, supportive clinical care and the patient’s immune response. People who recover from an Ebola infection develop antibodies that last for at least 10 years.

There is no FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved vaccine or medicine available for Ebola. A Seckman High School sophomore, Cooper Gaylord, says, “If I got Ebola, I would want the vaccine that they have no matter if its FDA approved or not!” The symptoms have just been treated as they appear. Experimental vaccines and treatments for Ebola are under development, but they have not yet been fully tested for safety or effectiveness. The recovery procedure from Ebola mainly depends on the patient’s care and the immune system response of that person. It is unknown if patients who recover from the disease are immune for life or if they can even become infected with a different type of Ebola.

However, some of the patients who have recovered from Ebola have experienced long term complications, such as joint and vision problems. Overall, the rare disease of Ebola is deadly and can be caught fairly easily. Keep cautious of the people you are around and be sure to try and avoid it at all costs.