Introduction
Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF), as it was earlier known, is a severe disease affecting humans and non-humans such as animals (bats or non-primate). The condition occurs due to a virus infection from the family Filoviridae and genus Ebolavirus.
Over the years, the Ebola disease has been a significant challenge to many countries worldwide, and this has led the World Health Organization to mark it as a universal public health issue since it was discovered in 1976. This paper aims to comprehensively explore the Ebola virus and offer an insightful understanding of its effects and how to manage it.
Causes and Transmission
The Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe communicable disease affecting humans and non-humans. It is often fatal and is transmitted through contact with an infected person. When a person comes in contact with an infected animal, such as a fruit bat, they get infected with Ebola (World Health Organization, 2021). The disease starts spreading when other people contact the infected individual’s body fluids, such as blood or objects, with the infection (Kodish et al., 2019).
It has an average incubation period of 2 to 21 days. After the incubation period, a person will begin showing the following signs and symptoms: fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, weakness, fatigue, and bleeding in different body parts (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). Without care, an infected person is more likely to die.
Complications and Treatment
A person who has contracted Ebola and has luckily recovered from it may experience some complications. These complications include multi-organ failure, memory loss, vision problems, shock, and death (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). Additionally, there is a high possibility that Ebola might be in a person’s body even after their symptoms have cleared up (Kodish et al., 2019).
EVD’s treatment process often involves supportive care and therapeutic medications (Hoenen et al., 2019). Some drugs include Ebanga and Inmazeb, which use monoclonal antibodies to treat EVD (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). Supportive care includes intravenous provision of fluids and electrolytes, medication to suppress the symptoms, and treating other comorbidities.
Reportable Disease
EVD is a significantly rare and fatal communicable disease that has always been considered a public health threat that can lead to pandemics and epidemics. According to the CDC, it has always been considered a reportable disease because of the impact it can have on the globe (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). For instance, the World Health Organization reports, “Ebola case fatality rates have varied from 25% to 90% in past outbreaks” (World Health Organization, 2021, p. 3).
This indicates that when one contracts the disease, there is a higher possibility of death. The disease reporting criteria depend on the region and country, but the general guidelines include the need to report any case that has symptoms resembling it (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). Therefore, this communicable disease is always considered reportable, posing a serious public health concern.
Social Determinants of Health
Social determinants of health are factors outside the medical scope that affect the health outcomes of individuals. They include different conditions in which people grow and live, such as neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces, and the rules governing them (World Health Organization, 2021). Some of the social determinants that have influenced the epidemiology of the Ebola virus include damaged public health infrastructure characterized by poor road systems and transport services, causing delayed transportation of patients to quality health centers.
High population mobility created difficulty in tracking cross-border contact and the spread of risks. Shortage of healthcare providers meant an overload of available healthcare workers and complex management of the surge in cases. Cultural events also pose a great chance of spreading and contracting the disease (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). Most of these issues have been laid out in problems encountered in achieving health by the World Health Organization.
Epidemiological Triangle for Ebola
Factors to consider lie in the environmental aspect of the epidemiological triangle. They include damaged public health infrastructure in the affected country, resulting in delayed patient referrals to high-quality hospitals. Cultural practices like consuming raw meat and the way they conduct burial activities have favored the transmission of the Ebola disease (Srivastava & Deniz, 2021).
In addition, hospital problems such as a shortage of healthcare workers have increased the fatality rate of infected individuals. In hospitals, the possibility of contamination of hospital equipment has increased the rate of hospital-acquired infections.
Special Considerations and Notifications
EVD has unique special considerations and notifications, affecting people differently from other communicable diseases. These include the need to rapidly detect those infected, isolate them, and treat cases (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). Additionally, during an outbreak, there is always a need to contact, trace, survey, and engage the community (World Health Organization, 2021).
Public institutions, including hospitals, schools, and others, must implement measures to protect the general public from the virus and control its spread. Notifying everyone in the community may include erecting posters and sending public messages about the disease through phones and media (Srivastava & Deniz, 2021). By doing all these, the spread of EVD can be controlled, and the infection rates can be reduced.
The Importance of Demographic Data for Community Health
Demographic data on effective medications for a certain population informs the patients’ treatment plans in a community. Healthcare workers can determine the necessary treatment for each patient by understanding the drugs that work for certain patients. Patient drug-response data helps enhance the quality improvement of the current health status (Srivastava & Deniz, 2021).
The gaps in the current treatment plans can be identified and solved through the progressive study of the treatment plans and the patient’s response. Data on the response of patients to implemented care practices improves patient care. With the patient’s home location and occupation data, risk factors affecting the patient can be brought to light.
The Role of Nurses in the Prevention of Ebola
Nurses establish connections with social media to be informed of new cases, thereby having complete coverage of the cases that occur regarding the disease. Accurate delivery of the case findings of the region to the local and international research centers, keeping the tally of infected individuals accurate. Analysis of the infection rates and critical points that can be drawn from the analysis: spread of the virus in terms of area covered.
The patient’s health information will also assist nurses in follow-up activities (Woolsey & Geisbert, 2021). An example of Christian worldview integration by a community health nurse is when the nurse provides love and care to the patient without fear of contracting the disease. This love is analogous to God’s love, which is unconditional.
Organizations That Address the Ebola Disease
Organizations that address the Ebola epidemic include the Global Ebola Response Coalition (GERC), a group of organizations that handles Ebola outbreaks by monitoring cases, reporting on their emergence, sharing priority knowledge in the Ebola response, and mobilizing resources to struggling countries.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) works by providing supportive care for confirmed cases (Salata et al., 2019). The World Health Organization also works by making policies that aid in international interrelationships to fight against the Ebola disease.
Global Implications of Ebola Disease and Their Mitigation
Ebola has impacted the world by lowering investment in private growth, causing a substantial loss in agricultural production, and raising risks of food insecurity in the affected countries. Mobility restrictions imposed on affected countries have led to significant losses in intercountry trade and reduced Gross Income for affected countries. Negligence of other infections, such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and malaria, has led to their upsurge, raising the cost of health (Salata et al., 2019).
Countries have taken steps to address the Ebola implications by working hand in hand with the World Health Organization, which lays out a framework to support community involvement, vaccination, improving laboratory services, and controlling infections (World Health Organization, 2023). With these measures in place, there has been a reduction in Ebola Virus Disease outbreaks.
Conclusion
In summary, Ebola virus disease is caused by infection with the Ebola virus species by an infected person, bat, or non-primate animal. It incubates for 21 days and presents indicators and effects like elevated temperature, head pain, muscle and joint discomfort, physical weakness, tiredness, and bleeding.
The disease has been endemic in West African countries, with a few cases distributed worldwide. It affects investment in the private sector, leading to a significant loss in agricultural production and weakening the food supply chain. EVD can be treated and managed with medication and supportive care.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023) Ebola disease. Web.
Hoenen, T., Groseth, A., & Feldmann, H. (2019). Therapeutic strategies to target the Ebola virus life cycle. Nature Reviews Microbiology, 17(10), 593-606. Web.
Kodish, S. R., Bio, F., Oemcke, R., Conteh, J., Beauliere, J. M., Pyne-Bailey, S.,… & Wirth, J. P. (2019). A qualitative study to understand how Ebola Virus Disease affected nutrition in Sierra Leone—A food value-chain framework for improving future response strategies. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 13(9), e0007645. Web.
Salata, C., Calistri, A., Alvisi, G., Celestino, M., Parolin, C., & Palù, G. (2019). Ebola virus entry: From molecular characterization to drug discovery. Viruses, 11(3), 274-282. Web.
Srivastava, H. M., & Deniz, S. (2021). A new modified semi-analytical technique for a fractional-order Ebola virus disease model. Revista de la Real Academia de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Serie A. Matemáticas, 115(3), 137- 140. Web.
Woolsey, C., & Geisbert, T. W. (2021). Current state of Ebola virus vaccines: A snapshot. PLoS Pathogens, 17(12). Web.
World Health Organization (2023). Ebola Virus Disease. Web.