Research Paper: West Africa Ebola Outbreak

West Africa Ebola Outbreak Background

Joseph Toole

Principles of Epidemiology PHE 5015 S01

22 May 2016

The purpose of this synopsis is to provide an overview of the West Africa Ebola outbreak that occurred in 2014. In doing so, it will provide an introductory background as well as a historical background of Ebola. Descriptions of the actual outbreak event will be discussed as a description of Ebola and what it is including the population who is being affected by it. Finally, the synopsis will conclude with epidemiological methods being applied to the Ebola outbreak that occurred in West Africa.

Ebola has been present in Africa and outbreaks have occurred since 2007 and are currently still happening. Ebola was discovered near the Ebola River in 1976 which is currently known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was previously known as the Ebola hemorrhagic fever and is rare and can be deadly. It can cause diseases in humans and primates. There are five species of the Ebola virus and four of them are dangerous to human beings. They are the Ebola virus, Sudan virus, Tae Forest virus, Bundibugyo virus and the Reston virus. The Reston virus affects primates like monkeys, gorillas and chimpanzees. The host of the Ebola virus is still unknown. Researchers believe that the virus is animal borne and that bats are the carrier (CDC, 2016).

Since 1976, there have been minimal cases reported each year ranging from 1 case to 400 cases, however in March 2014, there was a reported 28,652 cases of Ebola. The main countries affected by the Ebola virus is Sierra Leone, guinea and Liberia. As of April 2016, the Ebola virus has claimed the lives 11,325 people (CDC, 2016). Ebola signs and symptoms generally first appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days. The symptoms include unexplained hemorrhaging, fever, abdominal pain, severe headaches, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea and fatigue. Transmission of the Ebola virus occurs through body fluid exchange (CDC, 2016). Currently there are no FDA approved vaccines for the Ebola virus. The only methods used to help combat Ebola vary depending on the symptoms and individual is displaying. Currently, these methods include intravenous fluids, maintaining oxygen status and blood pressure as well as treating symptoms as they are when an individual displays them (CDC, 2016).

In discussing the epidemiological methods that were applied to the Ebola outbreak, a National Response Plan established and launched an Ebola Response team which incorporated an Incident Management System to manage the outbreak from every aspect and provided coordination for other committees aiding in the outbreak. The components of this task force included case management teams, infection control and health promotion teams, epidemiology/ surveillance teams, case investigation teams, contact tracing teams, social mobilization teams, burial teams, logistics teams, media and communication teams and security teams. The main focus of the task force is to perform active and passive surveillance in every district in those countries in an effort to identify early stages of each case and take timely and appropriate action (PLOS, 2015).

References

CDC (2016). 2014 Ebola Outbreak in West Africa. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/index.html

CDC (2016). Signs and Symptoms. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/symptoms/index.html

PLOS (2015). Epidemiological and Surveillance Response to Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak in Lofa County, Liberia. Retrieved from http://currents.plos.org/outbreaks/article/epidemiological-and-surveillance-response-to-ebola-virus-disease-outbreak-in-lofa-count-liberia-march-september-2014/