Countries where ebola is currently a problem in 2014:
Guinea,
Liberia,
Sierra Leone and
Nigeria.
Ebola virus has been imported into the US in the past, so the country is presumably well prepared.
1989
| USA
| | | | | REBOV was introduced into quarantine facilities in Virginia and Pennsylvania by monkeys imported from the Philippines.
|
1990
| USA
| | | | | REBOV was introduced once again into quarantine facilities in Virginia and Texas by monkeys imported from the Philippines. Four humans developed antibodies but did not get sick.
|
1996
| USA
| | | | | REBOV was introduced into a quarantine facility in Texas by monkeys imported from the Philippines. No human infections were identified.
|
Monkeys aren't the only animals that carry the virus. So do pigs.
Some information about ebola:
Incubation period: Anywhere from 2 to 21 days, although 7-14 days is the most common interval.
If anyone with the virus does enter the country, it won't be long before everyone knows about it. In this case, no news is good news.
Symptoms: All forms of viral hemorrhagic fever begin with fever and muscle aches. Depending on the particular virus, disease can progress until the patient becomes very ill with respiratory problems, severe bleeding, kidney problems, and shock. With Ebola, persons develop fever, chills, headaches, muscle aches, and loss of appetite. As the disease progresses, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, sore throat, and chest pain can occur. The blood fails to clot and patients bleed from injection sites as well as into the gastrointestinal tract, skin, and internal organs.
It is important to seek treatment early, even though the early symptoms could mean any number of viral infections. Delay is what causes more infections and limits the possibility of the patient's survival, and that of their family.
Can an infected person transmit Ebola to others before symptoms appear?
Close personal contact with persons who are infected but who do not yet show signs of active disease is unlikely to result in infection.
Healthy looking people aren't the worry.
The Ebola virus is spread through close personal contact with a person who is infected with Ebola. Often, infection
(in previous outbreaks) have occurred among hospital care workers or family members who were caring for an ill or dead person infected with Ebola virus. Blood and body fluids contain large amounts of virus, thus transmission of the virus has also occurred as a result of hypodermic needles being reused in the treatment of patients. Reusing needles is not an uncommon practice in developing countries, such as Zaire, Gabon, and Sudan, where the health care system is signficantly underfinanced.
Intravenous drug uses are at risk. Aren't they always?
How long are you infectious?
Until complete recovery; i.e., until there are no virus particles left in the blood.
(But if the patient dies, his or her corpse remains VERY infectious and must be handled with extreme caution.) The virus lives longer in the reproductive organs, so an infected male may have virus particles that are in his testicals longer than in other organs/parts of the body. This makes his semen infectious for a long period of time
(up to 7 weeks).
There are a number of different strains of ebola and the chances of survival differ. A survivor will be free of the virus after two months or less.
Can a survivor transmit Ebola to others after she or he has fully recovered?
Patients who have completely recovered from an illness caused by Ebola virus do not pose a serious risk for spreading the infection. However, the virus may be present in the ******* secretions of such persons for a period (up to 7 weeks) after their recovery, and therefore it is possible they can spread the virus through sexual contact.
Mind who you sleep with.
There is a lot more information at this website: http://www.brettrussell.com/personal/what_is_ebola_.html
