The 2014 Ebola epidemic is the largest in history: the number of Ebola deaths has been attributed an estimated range of 4,900-15,000, and nine countries have seen its citizens afflicted in this past year. As of now, the widespread and intense transmission of Ebola is limited to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, with Mali deemed at risk for outbreak. In Spain, the United States and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the outbreak of Ebola has been controlled; Nigeria and Senegal were recently declared Ebola free. What Is It Ebola, previously known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a deadly disease with five identified virus species, four of which are known to infect humans. The virus is believed to be animal-borne, with fruit bats serving as the most-likely host. It was first discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River in the now Democratic Republic of Congo, with outbreaks sporadically appearing in Africa up until this recent year. Typically, symptoms of Ebola appear 8-10 days after exposure to the virus. However, the incubation period of the virus can span from anywhere between two and 21 days. Symptoms of Ebola include: fever, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, stomach pains, red eyes, and bleeding (internally and externally, often from the eyes), amongst others. As of now, there is no cure for Ebola, but patients are just treated for symptoms as they appear. Additionally, doctors and nurses try to make sure that patients are well-hydrated with balanced electrolytes and sustained at ordinary oxygen and blood pressure levels. How Do You Get Ebola Researchers now believe that Ebola’s “patient zero” was a 2-year-old toddler from a rainforest village in southern Guinea named Emile Ouamouno. Emile passed away on December 6th, soon to be followed by his 4-year-old sister, mother, and grandmother, all of whom passed away within the following month. In the wake of their deaths, the disease was most likely spread at the grandmother’s funeral, as burial practices in certain regions of West Africa include washing, touching, and kissing the deceased before burial. These burial practices are problematic because Ebola is not an air-borne disease, but rather transmitted through direct contact of an infected person’s bodily fluids. This applies even after an infected patient is deceased, which is why many bereaved relatives are now responding by tossing the dead onto the street to avoid exposure and quarantine. On the brighter side, Ebola has been deemed not contagious until actual symptoms arise. Thus, despite the long incubation period of the virus, it’s good to know that the afflicted shouldn’t spread the disease before they are aware of being infected themselves. Why is it causing such an out roar? Despite the fact that Ebola isn’t an air-borne virus, the world is still closely watching this disease because of it’s incredibly high mortality rate and the lack of a known cure. Depending on the treatment of the individual, the chances of death, once infected, can range from 50-90%. Additionally, although lack of proper treatment facilities in West Africa is partially to blame for the widespread transmission of the virus so far, it’s questionable whether spread of Ebola can be entirely ruled out in more medically developed countries. While it’s true that Ebola was first brought willingly into the United States (in the case of Dr. Kent Bradley and Nancy Writebol, both of whom contracted the disease abroad), it remains questionable how American nurses in Dallas caring for Ebola victim, Thomas Duncan, were able to contract Ebola within the United States. The one source of solace that remains is that the treatment of Ebola victims in the United States has at least been quite successful. Medical experts are now testing whether or not blood plasma from recovered patients can help cure those diagnosed; the infected nurse Nina Pham, for instance, was recently deemed Ebola free after treatment involving a blood transfusion from cured patient Dr. Kent Bradley. Is China Susceptible to a Widespread Outbreak? While the spread of Ebola isn’t entirely controlled worldwide, chances of a large Ebola outbreak in China hopefully aren’t too high, granted China’s preparation from having dealt with SARS only a decade ago. This article was written by Betsie Wilson. Send an email to [email protected] to get in touch. Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons