A total of 60 human cases, including 16 fatalities, have been reported since the beginning of July. Laboratory tests of blood samples, conducted by the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) and the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), confirmed Ebola virus in five patients, two of whom have died. All reported illnesses and contacts are being investigated.
A team of experts from CDC is in Uganda, to work with Ministry of Health and international partners in determining the extent of the outbreak and locating, testing, and treating any additional cases (Taken from the Center for Disease Control website).
What exactly is Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever?
Ebola is often a fatal disease in primates (human and nonhuman). It was first recognized in Zaire in 1976 and is caused by infection with Ebola Virus (pictured above). It is a filoviridae, belonging to the RNA family of viruses. Currently there are five identified subtypes of the Ebola virus; only one (Ebola-Reston) does not cause disease in humans (CDC, 2010).
The exact origin of Ebola HF is not known; however it is believed to be zoonotic. Ebola is not known to be native to other continents.
"Infections with Ebola are acute. There is no carrier state" (CDC, 2010). It is believed that the first patient comes in contact with an infected animal. Transmission can occur several ways and is often spread through families and friends due to close contact. Additionally, nosocomial transmissions are frequent during Ebola outbreaks (CDC, 2010).
To read more about the symptoms of Ebola HF, the incubation periods and treatments of this disease you can visit the CDC website ; check the link below; or research articles in the library electronic resources.
References:
Center for Disease Control
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