Ebola

1. Ebola
By Matthew Kley
COMS 1010 Section 1002

2. Ebola Awareness
• The Ebola virus has been a world-
wide threat
• Started in Liberia
• This outbreak claims the lives of
over 11,000 people
• The total cost of Ebola could cost
roughly $1.62 Billion

3. Who is at Risk?
• Healthcare workers
• Family members or others in
close contact with infected
people
• Mourners who have direct
contact with bodies during
burial rituals

4. How is it Spreading?
• Religion practices in Liberia
• Close physical contact during rituals
• Ritual preparation of bodies for burial
involves washing, touching and kissing
• Infected bats, antelopes, porcupines, and
monkeys known as “bushmeat” are
consumed
• Through sexual contact

5. About The Virus
• Incubation period - few days to a few
weeks
• People are not contagious until they
develop symptoms
• Can be difficult to first diagnose
• Ebola can be spread by blood or body
fluids
• Cannot be spread through the air,
water, food, or mosquitoes.

6. About The Virus
• Symptoms include: fever, muscle pain, weakness,
sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, internal and external
bleeding
• Leads to: extreme dehydration, internal or external
hemorrhaging, organ failure, and eventually death
• No vaccines available
• The researchers at CDC are working on a vaccine
• Best preventive measures are knowledge of the virus

7. What is the Treatment?
• Supportive care
• Fluid replacement therapy
• Kidney dialysis, blood transfusions,
plasma replacement therapy
• There a no specific drug proven
effective against the Ebola
• Research is ongoing with the use of
plasma and blood infusions

8. Proper Handling
• Standard precautions are recommended
by the CDC
• Healthcare professionals must wear: a
surgical cap, goggles, respirator, scrubs,
overalls, apron, double gloves, and boots
• Healthcare workers should always wash
their hands regularly
• A more detailed list and education is
available on the CDC

9. What To Take Away
• Ebola has proven itself to be a fatal
virus
• Changing current ritual traditions may
not be possible
• Ongoing research on treatments and
vaccines
• Creating awareness can decrease the
fatality rate