Wanted: Ebola virus
reward: $25,000
Description and Name
Ebola is an enveloped, single-stranded, unsegmented, negative-sense RNA virus. It can appear shaped like a U, a 6, or coiled like a snail; and can sometimes be branched.
Ebola is a one of the two members of a family of RNA viruses called Filoviridae, and is broken down into five sub-types: Ebola-Zaire, Ebola-Sudan, Ebola-Ivory Coast and Ebola-Bundibugyo. Ebola was formerly known Ebola haemorrhagic fever.
Prevention and Treatment
Prevention: To prevent getting the Ebola virus:
- practice good hygiene
- avoid contact with bodily fluids of infected people
- avoid contact with things that may have come in contact with an infected person
- avoid contact with bats and non-human primates
Treatment: There is not an FDA-approved treatment, cure, or vaccine for the Ebola virus. Symptoms are treated as they appear. Following basic interventions, when used early, can help improve chances of survival:
- providing intravenous fluids and balancing electrolytes
- maintaining oxygen and blood pressure
- treating other infections as the occur
Victims
The countries affected the most by Ebola are Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.
Crimes
Ebola causes Ebola hemorrhagic fever.
The Ebola virus can invade any human or animal cell and use them as their host cell.
Tactics
Ebola enters the body by first disarming the immune response, our body's first line of defense, then dismantling the vascular system. It infects cells which normally show signs of infection. By sneaking passed our body's alarm system, it can immediately start replicating very rapidly. So rapidly, in fact, that researchers struggle to understand the exact sequence of events.
Damage Ebola causes
Ebola is a systemic infection. This means that every organ and tissue, except for the bones and skeletal muscles are under constant attack. The Ebola virus also attacks the dendritic cells. The dendritic cells activate the T cells (the white blood cells). Once the dendritic cells are compromised the T cells can't be activate, and the virus multiplies at a very rapid pace. After that it is a guessing game to the exact process.