Research Paper: West Africa Ebola Outbreak

Final Paper: West Africa Ebola Outbreak Investigative Methodology

Joseph Toole

Principles of Epidemiology PHE 5015 S01

29 May 2016

The Ebola virus causes severe and acute illness and can be severely fatal if it is left untreated. The history of Ebola starts in 1976 when there was a simultaneous outbreak which occurred in South Sudan as well as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its name originated from the Ebola River for which is also where the second outbreak took place. Currently, there is an outbreak being encountered in West Africa which began in 2004 and is the biggest and most multifaceted outbreak since its discovery in 1976. The Ebola virus death rate was considered vastly more than any other outbreak that was experienced. The West Africa countries that have been affected by the Ebola outbreak have been Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Liberia, Senegal and Mali. Studies that have been conducted in these countries search for a cure in order to treat it. There are numerous organizations that have had their hands in on this research according to the World Health Organization. The research has displayed several results through the use of various methods in an effort to obtain positive results for the virus (United States House of Representatives, 2015).

Even though these countries have been faced by the Ebola epidemic, it seems that not all countries were affected by it. In order for the virus to be controlled, the World Health Organization had conducted research in order to ensure that the virus did not spread globally due to it being an airborne sickness (United States House of Representatives, 2015). The virus is caused by an individual or individuals who carry the virus coming into contact with healthy individuals (Bah Marc, A., Verjee, N., Mogaka, S., & World Bank, 2015). The concept of the virus’s symptoms as well as their characteristics given a forensic investigation, displayed various assumptions from research. The method used to make sure that the virus did not spread was mathematical methodology used to calculate specific areas that had the highest risk of being infected with the virus. Other methods were utilized to better understand the cause of the disease, the means for neutralizing the virus and a cure.

According to the research that was conducted through various organizations such as Lancaster University, the Ebola virus was caused by five strains of the Ebola virus which were believed to have come from bats. The Ebola virus was categorized in the class of genus Ebolavirus and Filovirida. The Ebola virus is transmitted through coming into contact with an infected individual where the virus is being spread. The Ebola virus usually stays in the human body for a few days after the virus symptoms become visible. The virus mode of transmission is extremely difficult to control as it takes a few hours for the infection to react.

If an individual were to travel into a population that is not infected, within 24 hours, it is then possible for a large portion of that population to become affected by the virus. An example would be a marketplace. In order to control the virus, it seems necessary to make sure that there are various strategies that are designed for individual movement control in an effort to reduce the virus spreading. When an infected population is being restricted from any movement, there is opportunity to monitor the virus and help reduce the infection. There are different advisories in place to control the virus (The Point, 2016).

In order for advisories to be made clear by individuals trying to reduce the spread of the virus, there are a few important things to consider that are required such as knowledge of the virus symptoms and how they can easily affect the control of the disease from spreading. Signs and symptoms of the Ebola virus include fever, vomiting, fatigue, muscle pain, diarrhea, headaches and unexplained hemorrhaging. In order to monitor the virus, it depends on the clinical care support in place as well as the immune system of each individual. Different individuals will become infected and generate an immune system that can produce antibiotics that will stay in their body for over ten years. It is extremely important for those individuals who are not infected to maintain distance from those who are infected. It is also very important that appropriate research is conducted in understanding infected individuals and the possible locations for interactions and areas that could possibly be infected through the mathematical calculation in order to control the virus (Bah Marc, A., Verjee, N., Mogaka, S., & World Bank, 2015).

References

Bah Marc, A., Verjee, N., Mogaka, S., & World Bank. (2015). The Challenge of Stability and Security in West Africa. Retrieved from http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/fragilityconflictviolence/publication/the-challenge-of-stability-and-security-in-west-africa

The Point. (2016). The Ebola Outbreak in West Africa: Corporate gangsters, multinationals & Rogue Politicians. Retrieved from http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/the-ebola-outbreak-in-west-africa-corporate-gangsters-multinationals-and-rogue-politicians-chernoh-a

United States House of Representatives. (2015). Combating Ebola in West Africa: The International Response: Hearing before the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Retrieved from http://docs.house.gov/meetings/FA/FA00/20141113/102732/HHRG-113-FA00-Transcript-20141113.pdf