Now the word EBOLA
become very familiar to us due to news
reports of its spread in Africa and a scare that the virus may have spread to
our nation, but by god grace till now no case has been reported. Ebola
hemorrhagic fever has made worldwide news because of its destructive potential.
Now this disease may seem far away from
us and with the ease of travel, it would not be difficult for a disease like
Ebola to spread. Knowledge of how to handle these types of more exotic illness
is always worth learning. According to WHO, Ebola virus disease first appeared
in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreaks, in Nzara,
Sudan, and in
Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo. The latter was in a village situated
near the Ebola River from which the disease takes its
name
Ebola hemorrhagic
fever is a severe viral infection that is often fatal, sometimes within days.
Symptoms include severe fever accompanied by muscle pain, weakness, vomiting and
diarrhea, and in severe cases, unstoppable bleeding and shutdown of vital
organs. In the case of Ebola, no conventional treatment or vaccine is
available. Fortunately for us, homoeopathy has great renowned for its healing
ability in epidemics.
The disease typically occurs in outbreaks in
tropical regions of Sub- Saharan Africa. From 1976 (when it was first
identified) through 2013, fewer than 1,000 people per year have been infected. The largest outbreak to date is the ongoing 2014 West Africa Ebola virus
outbreak, which is affecting Guinea,
Sierra Leone, and Liberia. As of August 2014, it is also affecting Nigeria. As of the end of July 2014 more than 1440 cases have been identified. By 31 July 2014, they reported that the death toll had reached 826 people
from 1440 cases. On 8 August, the WHO declared the epidemic to be an
international public health emergency. Urging the world to offer aid to the
affected regions.
Causes
Ebola virus disease
(EVD) is caused by infection with a virus of the family Filoviridae, genus
Ebolavirus. While there are five identified sub-species of Ebolavirus, four
viruses cause disease in humans. They are Bundibugyo virus (BDBV), Ebola virus
(EBOV), Sudan virus (SUDV), Tai Forest
virus (TAFV).
The fifth virus, Reston virus (RESTV), is not considered to be
disease-causing in humans.
Ebola virus and Marburg
virus
are related viruses that cause hemorrhagic fevers illnesses marked by severe
bleeding, organ failure and, in many cases, death. Both viruses are native to Africa, where sporadic outbreaks have occurred for decades.
Ebola virus and Marburg
virus live in animal hosts, and humans can contract the viruses from infected
animals. Ebola virus has been found in African monkeys, chimps and other nonhuman
primates. A milder strain of Ebola has been discovered in monkeys and pigs in
the Philippines.
Marburg virus has been found in monkeys, chimps
and fruit bats in Africa.
Spread of Disease
The WHO says it is
believed that fruit bats may be the natural host of the Ebola virus in Africa, passing on the virus to other animals.
Humans contract Ebola
through contact with the bodily fluids of infected animals or the bodily fluids
of infected humans.
Transmission from animals to humans - Experts suspect that
both viruses are transmitted to humans through an infected animal's bodily
fluids like Blood. Butchering or eating infected animals can spread the viruses.
Scientists who have operated on infected animals as part of their research have
also contracted the virus.
Tourists in certain African
caves and some underground mine workers have been infected with the Marburg virus, possibly
through contact with the feces or urine of infected bats.
Transmission from person to person - Infected people
typically don't become contagious until they develop symptoms. Family members
are often infected as they care for sick relatives or prepare the dead for
burial.
Medical personnel can
be infected if they don't use protective gear, such as surgical masks and
gloves. Medical centers in Africa are often so
poor that they must reuse needles and syringes. Some of the worst Ebola
epidemics have occurred because contaminated injection equipment wasn't
sterilized between uses. There's no evidence that Ebola virus or Marburg virus can be spread
via insect bites.
MSF (Médecins Sans
Frontières USA)
says that while the virus is believed to be able to survive for some days in
liquid outside an infected organism, chlorine disinfection, heat, direct
sunlight, soaps and detergents can kill it. MSF epidemiologist said outbreaks
usually spread in areas where hospitals have poor infection control and limited
access to resources such as running water.
Can plane passengers become infected? Is it an air borne
disease?
While the CDC (Center
for disease control USA)
acknowledges its possible a person infected with Ebola in West
Africa could get on a plane and arrive in another country, the
chances of the virus spreading during the journey are low.
It’s very unlikely
that they would be able to spread the disease to fellow passengers, said
Stephen Monroe, deputy director of CDCs
National Center
for Emerging Zoonotic and Infectious Diseases. He added that most people who
have become infected with Ebola lived with or cared for an ill patient.
This is not an
airborne transmission, said Dr. Marty Cetron, director of CDCs Division of
Global Migration and Quarantine. There needs to be direct contact frequently
with body fluids or blood.
Clinical Manifestations
Signs and symptoms
typically begin abruptly within five to 10 days of infection with Ebola or Marburg virus. Early symptoms of EVD may be similar to those
of malaria, dengue fever, or other tropical fevers, before the disease
progresses to the bleeding phase.
Signs and symptoms usually begin suddenly
with a flu-like stage characterized by fatigue, fever, headaches, and joint,
muscle, and abdominal pain. Vomiting, diarrhea and loss
of appetite are also common. Less common symptoms
include the following: sore throat, chest pain, hiccups, shortness of breath
and trouble swallowing.
The average time between contracting the
infection and the start of symptoms is 8 to 10 days, but it can vary between 2
and 21 days.
Skin manifestations may include a maculopapular
rash (in about 50% of cases).
In 40–50% of cases, bleeding from puncture
sites and mucous membranes (e.g. gastrointestinal tract, nose, vagina, and
gums) has been reported. In the bleeding phase,
which typically starts 5 to 7 days after first symptoms internal and subcutaneous bleeding may present itself through reddening
of the eyes and bloody vomit. Bleeding into the skin may
create petechiae, purpura, ecchymoses, and hematomas (especially around needle
injection sites). Types of bleeding known to occur with Ebola virus disease
include vomiting blood, coughing it up or blood in the stool.
Heavy bleeding is rare and is usually
confined to the gastrointestinal tract. In general, the development of bleeding symptoms often indicates a worse
prognosis and this blood loss can result in death.
All people infected show some symptoms of circulatory
system involvement, including impaired blood clotting. If the infected person does not recover, death due to multiple organ
dysfunction syndromes occurs within 7 to 16 days (usually between days 8 and 9)
after first symptoms.
Diagnosis
Ebola and Marburg hemorrhagic fevers are difficult to
diagnose because early signs and symptoms resemble those of other diseases,
such as typhoid and malaria.
The medical history, especially travel and
work history along with exposure to wildlife are important to suspect the
diagnosis of EVD. The diagnosis is confirmed by isolating the virus, detecting
its RNA or proteins, or detecting antibodies against the virus in a person's
blood. Isolating the virus by cell culture, detecting the viral RNA by
polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and detecting proteins by enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is effective early and in those who have died from
the disease. During an outbreak, virus isolation is often not feasible. The
most common diagnostic methods are therefore real time PCR and ELISA detection
of proteins, which can be performed in field or mobile hospitals. Filovirions can be seen and identified in cell culture by electron
microscopy due to their unique filamentous shapes, but electron microscopy
cannot tell the difference between the various filoviruses despite there being
some length differences.
Prevention of Disease
Prevention focuses on avoiding contact with
the viruses. The following precautions can help prevent infection and spread of
Ebola and Marburg.
Avoid areas of known outbreaks - Before traveling to Africa,
find out about current epidemics by checking the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention website.
Wash your hands frequently - As with other infectious diseases, one of the most
important preventive measures is frequent hand-washing. Use soap and water, or
use alcohol based hand rubs containing at least 60 percent alcohol when soap
and water aren't available.
Avoid bush meat - In developing countries, avoid buying or eating the wild animals, including
nonhuman primates, sold in local markets.
Avoid contact with infected people - In particular, caregivers should avoid contact
with the person's body fluids and tissues, including blood, semen, vaginal
secretions and saliva. People with Ebola or Marburg are most contagious in the later
stages of the disease.
Follow infection-control procedures - If you're a health care worker, wear protective
clothing, such as gloves, masks, gowns and eye shields. Keep infected people
isolated from others. Dispose of needles and sterilize other instruments.
Don't handle remains - The bodies of people who have died of Ebola or Marburg disease are still contagious.
Specially organized and trained teams should bury the remains, using appropriate
safety equipment.
Outlook (Prognosis)
As many as 90% of patients die from the disease.
Patients usually die from low blood pressure (shock) rather than from blood
loss.
General Management
In Modern system of medicine, No antiviral
medications have proved effective in treating infection with either virus till
now.
Supportive hospital care includes:
·
Providing fluids
·
Maintaining blood pressure
·
Providing oxygen as needed
·
Replacing lost blood
·
Treating other infections that develop
Homoeopathic management
Homoeopaths have found that their medicines can prevent and treat
various infections. There is not much research demonstrating the efficacy of
the homoeopathic medicines in preventing viral conditions, though there is some
evidence that the medicines can be used to prevent other infectious diseases.
In the 1800s homoeopaths commonly used medicines to prevent or cure what later
came to be understood as bacterial or viral infections. Homoeopaths commonly
find that successful treatment of acute or chronic disease with homeopathic
medicines often leads to stronger and healthier people who do not get severely
or recurrently ill. One of the additional advantages of using homoeopathy in
treating viral conditions is that homoeopathic medicines can be prescribed even
before a definitive diagnosis has been made. This is because homoeopaths
prescribe based on the totality of symptoms, and laboratory work is not always
necessary to find the correct medicine. Since some viral conditions are
difficult to diagnose even after laboratory tests, one is often able to cure
people with homoeopathy before a conventional medical diagnosis can be made.
The symptoms of Ebola and other hemorrhagic
fevers resemble those of malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever and viral
hepatitis. Homoeopathy may not have a medicine that kills the virus, but can
definitely help the body fight back. In homoeopathy, remedies are often chosen
based on the symptom picture, so the remedies most often used for Ebola will be
the same as for these other diseases. The following remedies would be
considered by a homoeopath for any of the viral hemorrhagic fevers that match
this symptom picture.
Crotalus horridus 30C – Is to be considered for
when there is difficulty swallowing due to spasms and constriction of the
throat, dark purplish blood, edema with purplish, mottled skin. It has been found successful application in
this disease ,as well as reportedly a prophylactic action when in low material
dose. A mental and physical
prostration that is almost paralytic in character. Scarlet fever when it
becomes putrid; typhoid when it becomes putrid, diphtheria with much bleeding
and putridity. The body appears mottled, blue intermingled with yellow jaundice
comes on with astonishing quickness, and the eyes become yellow, and the skin
becomes yellow and mottled. Blue in spots. Black and blue spots as if bruised,
intermingled with yellow. After hemorrhages the skin becomes extremely anemic.
It is yellow, pale, bloodless. The body looks
like wax. Hemorrhage from the ears, eyes, nose, lungs, from the mucous
membranes everywhere, from the bowels, from the uterus, A haemorrhagic
constitution.
Crotalus is indicated in disease of the very
lowest, the most putrid type, coming on with unusual rapidity, reaching that
putrid state in an unusually short time. One who has been poisoned rapidly
sinks into, this besotted, benumbed. putrid, semi-conscious state. There is a
feeling as if death were coming over him. As the blood oozes out it becomes
black, It is sometimes fluid. An awful state of nervousness prevails. Trembling
of the limbs, tremulous weakness. On protruding the tongue it comes out
quivering. Tired by the slightest exertion. Sudden prostration of the vital
powers. A paralytic weakness prevails throughout. Twitching of the muscles,
trembling of the limbs. Sliding down in bed occurs in the typhoid conditions
where this remedy has proved of benefit, the forms of yellow fever with great
prostration. This species of yellow fever has been cured by this remedy.
Convulsions and paralysis. It has twitching of muscles something like chorea,
trembling, localized spasms, hysterical manifestations.
Lachesis mutus 30C – when there’s
delirium with trembling and confusion, hemorrhaging in any area, consider this
remedy. Often, the person cannot bear tight or constricting clothing or bandages
and feels better from heat and worse on the left side.
Mercurius corrosivus 30C, – For copious bleeding, better when lying on the
back with the knees bent up, delirium, headache with burning cheeks,
photophobia, black swollen lip, metallic, bitter or salt taste in mouth.
Secale cornutum 30c,– For thin, slow, painless oozing dark hemorrhage with
offensive odor, cold skin and tingling in the limbs. The individual wants to be
uncovered and feels WORSE from motion.
Echinacea 30C – For when there’s
sepsis or blood poisoning, fetid smelling discharges and enlarged lymph nodes.
