What have been the deadliest outbreaks of Ebola

The Ebola is the name of a virus of the family Filoviridae and genus Filovirus. Its name comes from the Ebola River, which we found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it was first identified in 1976 during an epidemic.

It is a virus that causes the viral hemorrhagic fever of Ebola, an infectious and highly contagious disease, which is very serious and affects both humans and other species of the animal kingdom.

This virus infects the capillary endothelium and several types of immune cells, presenting a lethality of up to 90%.

The incubation period varies from 2 to 21 days from the moment in which the infection occurs; that is, it would be the interval from the infection to the moment in which the symptoms appear.

Symptoms begin with sudden onset of high fever, muscle aches, severe weakness, sore throat and headache, rashes, diarrhea and vomiting. With the passage of hours causes renal and hepatic dysfunction, and in some cases both internal and external hemorrhages.

Although there is no vaccine to prevent the spread of Ebola virus, and there are no medical treatments that fight against the virus (we are only before symptomatic medical treatments for the treatment of fever and pain), it is possible to prevent the spread for Ebola virus.

What was the first recorded case of Ebola in the world?

The first cases were recorded on August 26, 1976 in Yambuku, a city we found in northern Zaire. Apparently the outbreak took place in the Ebola River (in the Democratic Republic of the Congo), from which precisely its name comes.

At that time the virus caused the death of 151 people, and a total of 285 infections were registered with a mortality rate of 53%.

The deadliest outbreaks of Ebola

April - June 1995: Zaire, 345 registered cases and 256 deaths (74% case fatality rate).
2000 - 2001: districts of Gulu, Masindi and Mbarara (Uganda). 425 registered cases and 224 deaths (case fatality rate of 53%).
October 2001 - March 2002: Republic of the Congo and Gabon. 122 registered cases and 96 deaths (case fatality rate of 79%).
December 2002 - April 2003: Republic of the Congo. 143 registered cases and 128 deaths (case fatality rate of 90%).
April - October 2007: Western Kasai (Republic of the Congo). 264 registered cases and 187 deaths (case fatality rate of 71%).
2014: Guinea-Conakry, Sierra Leone and Liberia. 1,440 registered cases, 826 deaths (case fatality rate of 57%).

Image | DFID - UK Department for International Development This article is published for informational purposes only. It can not and should not replace the consultation with a Physician. We advise you to consult your Trusted Doctor. ThemesInfections