Ebola: What You Need to Know About This Deadly Virus

You may have seen the Ebola virus featured in the movie Outbreak. The Ebola virus has been afflicting the human population since 1976 when it was first detected in the regions on the Sudan and Zaire border.

The Ebola virus caught the ears of Americans when in 1989 several lab workers in Reston, Virginia contracted the disease. They were working in a laboratory and were exposed to infected cynomolgus monkeys that had been imported from the Philippines. More recently in the news, on March 27, 2009 a lab worker pricked her finger with a needle she was using to inject the Ebola virus into mice.

Ebola is not a virus that a human wants to contract. Ebola is deadly for up to 90% of those who become infected. Although work is being done, there is currently no approved vaccine for Ebola. The only way to prevent it is to not expose your self to the bodily fluids of an infected person. Additionally, you will want to take special care with corpses as handling them can cause infections.

In a human the Ebola virus can come on quickly or take its time. Symptoms can begin in as few as two days or as many as 21. Before the infected person begins exhibiting Ebola symptoms they are contagious. Patients remain contagious for approximately 21 days.

Some common Ebola virus symptoms resemble the common cold. People who have contracted Ebola will have fever, headaches, muscle and joint pain, vomiting and diarrhea. These symptoms often lead to dehydration. To make an electrolyte home remedy for dehydration try mixing one liter of water with 8 tsp. sugar and 1 tsp. salt.

Ebola virus treatment may or may not lengthen the life of the patient. Medical studies show that patients with higher rates of mortality did not develop antibodies against the virus. However, medical attention can prevent secondary infections, provide the patient with oxygen and supply fluids intravenously to prevent dehydration.

Science has been working on an Ebola virus vaccine, but so far there is no approved version of the vaccine. There has been some success in animals with an anti-coagulant factor called rNAPc2. While rNAPc2 does not directly treat the Ebola virus or prevent Ebola infections it has been shown to reduce death rates by treating Ebola's deadly symptoms.

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