The current Ebola epidemic has caused more
than 1,400 deaths this year, in five West
African countries - Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria,
Sierra Leone and Senegal. The World Health
Organization says more than 20,000 people could
be infected before the outbreak can be brought
under control. The stampede precipitated by this
deadly disease, while justified, may be tempered
by a better societal appreciation of the disease
process.
The Ebola virus was named after the Ebola River
Valley in Zaire, where the first outbreak was
reported in 1976. Four out of five of the identified
sub-species of Ebolavirus are of African origin and
can cause infection in humans. These include:
Zaire ebolavirus, Sudan ebolavirus , Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory
Coast) or Tai’ Forest ebolavirus , and Uganda,
Bundibugyo ebolavirus. The fifth virus,
Reston ebolavirus , which has its origin in the
Philippines, is not known to be disease-causing in
humans. According to the United States’ Center for
Disease Control (CDC), the recent outbreaks in
Nigeria and the other West African countries are
caused by the Zaire Ebolavirus (Ebola). The CDC
further states that, the “virus is spread
through direct contact (through broken skin or
mucous membranes) with blood and body fluids
(urine, feces, saliva, vomit, and semen) of a
person who is sick with Ebola, or with objects (like
needles) that have been contaminated with the
virus. Ebola is not spread through the air or by
water or, in general, by food; however, in Africa,
Ebola may be spread as a result of handling bush
meat (wild animals hunted for food) and contact
with infected bats”
Normally, when the human body (host) is invaded
by a “suspect” (pathogen), either bacteria or virus,
such as during catarrh or cold, the (host) immune
system responds by releasing protective
“commandoes” agents (antibodies and cytokines)
to fight off the “suspect” infection. The sequence
starts with the detection and “arrest” of the
invading “suspect” (pathogen), by a network of
“security guard” cells - dendritic cells and
macrophages. These cells function as “security
guards” that “frisks” incoming
“suspect” (pathogen) from the environment. Once
the “suspect” (pathogen) is “arrested”, the
“security guards” (dendritic cells and
macrophages) send out signals for the host
immune system to deploy the “commandoes”-
antibodies and cytokines, to effectively immobilize
or kill and expel the “ suspect” (pathogen).
However, Ebola , unlike most things African, is
astonishingly sleek and sophisticated in it modus
operandi. It initially presents and is erroneously
managed like any other relatively benign infection,
such as malaria, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis, etc.,
with signs and symptoms, such as, sudden onset
of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache
and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting,
diarrhea, rash, and impaired kidney and liver
function. When and if properly diagnosed at this
point, a full recovery is likely with early and quick
drug therapy, and/or appropriate supportive
treatment. In non-fatal Ebola cases, patients
typically improve 6-11 days after onset of
symptoms, evidence that the “suspect” virus has
been effectively “arrested” and eliminated by the
host immune cells.
Ebola can however be deadly; primarily because of
the way it invades the body “under the radar”. It
disguises itself and stealthily evades detection and
“arrest” by the “security guard” - dendritic cells
and macrophages. Once inside and secured, the
virus disarms the “security guard” rendering them
incapable of sending signals for help to the
protective “commandoes” - the antibodies and
cytokines, to eliminate the “suspect” Ebola. As a
result, the virus starts to multiply and invade
more cells with reckless abandon, unchallenged,
causing cells to die and explode. It is at this stage
that the (host) immune system suddenly becomes
aware that it has been overrun. It then begins a
belated over the top uncoordinated defense,
launching its entire immunological arsenal at once,
through massive release of cytokines - the (host)
immune system equivalence of “shock and awe”
response to the already widely spread virus. This
most extreme immune response, which also
signals the terminal phase of the infection, is
referred to as the "cytokine storm"- It is this
cytokine storm, the host response to the Ebola that
kills . During this condition, the (host) immune
system turns on itself, attacking every organ in the
body, bursting blood vessels and making the
infected person bleed both internally and
externally, through the orifices (eyes, nose, etc.).
This also involves vomits and diarrhea, causing
severe low blood pressure and/or hypotensive
shock and subsequently, death. Typically, death
occurs between 6- 16 days. While some viral
infections like the dreaded Bird flu and Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) have the capacity to
drive the immune system this wild, none does it
like Ebola .
For a patient to survive therefore, all measures
must be deployed to avoid the cytokine storm
phase and the subsequent hypotensive shock. This
can be accomplished through appropriate timely
Anti-Ebola drug (ZMapp) or vaccine treatment ,
when available, and/or aggressive effective
supportive treatment - such as maintenance of
oxygenation, fluid and electrolyte therapy, blood
pressure control with vasopressors, prevention and
treatment of secondary infections, pain control and
nutritional support, among others. As outbreaks
seem to spread faster in areas of poor sanitary
and infection control, including limited access to
resources, such as clean running water, the use of
chlorine disinfection, heat, direct sunlight, soaps
and detergents to curtail the spread of the disease
from exposed fluid from the infected person(s),
could be invaluable to supportive treatment in
African countries. Caregivers are also highly
encouraged to wear impermeable gowns, gloves
and facial protection, such as goggles or medical
masks, to prevent splashes. Although much noise
has been made about the trial Anti-Ebola drug
ZMapp , but when compared with Nigeria’s
supportive treatment approach, the recorded
deaths at this point, for both groups, which are
33% (2 of 6 {ZMAPP treatment}) and 40% (6 of
15 {supportive treatment}) respectively, appear
not to be that different.
While our healthcare workers have done brilliantly
battling this deceptive rampaging disease, and
deserve to be rewarded, our policy makers on the
other hand appear to be as confused as an Ebola-
infected host. There is no doubt that the Minister
of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu has good
intentions, but his knee jerk actions and reactions
during this crisis have not inspired confidence in
the public. His short lived embrace of Nanosilver
as an “experimental” Ebola drug and the firing of
16,000 resident doctors were not well thought out.
The constitution of a six-man working group on
Ebola research, led and populated by
administrators, with no relevant expertise - such as
research virologist, microbiologist or immunologist,
with track records relevant to delivering on the
terms of reference of the committee, can be
injurious. This appointment violated basic
principles of project management, which is, having
the right people, with the right skills and the proper
tools, in the right quantity at the right time.
In contrast, when President Barack Obama
launched the Brain Mapping project last year - a
serious US government initiative, aimed at
conquering challenges such as epilepsy, autism
and Alzheimer's disease, he rightly selected a
crack team of 15 top notch active scientists, led
by competently credentialed experts, namely;
Cornelia Bargman, PhD (Co-Chair), a neurobiologist
at the Rockefeller University and William
Newsome, PhD (Co-Chair), Professor of
Neurobiology at Stanford University.
The six-man working group set up by Professor
Chukwu is made up mostly of quality minds but on
the wrong committee. President Goodluck
Jonathan should immediately dissolve the group,
and scour the globe and assemble a crack team of
Nigerian scientists with the appropriate credentials,
expertise and relationships to deliver on the terms
of reference of the committee. As we know by now,
while Ebola is dangerous, it is the host response or
lack thereof that actually kills.
Professor Edward Oparaoji
US Based Critical Care Pharmacologists and
Pharmaceutical Research Scientist

saharareporters.com/2014/09/01/ebola-dangerous-virus-how-does-it-really-kill-professor-edward-oparaoji

well I think it is really okay to know how things work...Cos a lot people are dying cos of fear of the unknown

philtrum:
well I think it is really okay to know how things work...Cos a lot people are dying cos of fear of the unknown

Yes having basic understanding of how it spreads will enlighten people more and create awareness about infection in general.

Areolad:


Yes having basic understanding of how it spreads will enlighten people more and create awareness about infection in general.

correct.......Let's hope this makes front page...its necessary considering the peculiarities of this time

the explanation seems more of an action movie to me....




nice write up OP