Effects of the Ebola Virus
Throughout history a variety of deadly diseases have threatened mankind. Many diseases have the capability to spread fast and rapidly kill people. But with modern advances in medicine, man had defeated most of these deadly diseases and thought the threat was over. However, a shockingly new and deadly disease caused by the Ebola virus has challenged the medical community. The medical researchers of today cannot find a cure or vaccine to halt the spread of this pathogenic disease. The Ebola virus is a definite threat to mankind, and its symptoms have a devastating effect on the human body. The most recent outbreaks of Ebola were very deadly because the Ebola virus is a new disease. The initial outbreak was of an unknown origin in Zaire, Africa, during the year 1976. The medical community was unsure of how to handle Ebola, since it was the first recorded outbreak. This first outbreak in Zaire was followed by a second outbreak in western Sudan, also during the year 1976. In total, 340 people died from Ebola out of the 550 cases that were identified in these two nations ("Ebola History" N.pag.). Ebola was discovered again in 1995 in Kikwit, Zaire, when a victim infected an entire surgical team. Those infected de
The Ebola virus raises the terrifying specter of an untreatable and irreversibly fatal disease whose insidious spread may be unstoppable unless the medical community finds its origin and source. Reading about Ebola's victims makes a horrifying impression, but education about this deadly disease may save lives. The description of Ebola's horrifying symptoms is certain to ignite a world wide debate about research priorities to find a vaccine for this terrible disease. How Ebola spreads is still uncertain, but scientist know it is a virus. In time, a vaccine will protect the world from Ebola's threat. When Ebola attacks, it severely damages the skin. The skin first develops into a sea of bubbly tiny white blisters mixed with red spots known as maculopapular rash (Preston 73). The red spots are called petechiae, which are hemorrhages under the skin (Preston 73). The red spots grow into huge bruises and the skin goes soft and pulpy. Spontaneous rips appear in the skin which pour out infected blood because the skin can tear apart with any kind of pressure or movement. After a while, the under layers of the skin die and liquefy. Every opening in the body bleeds no matter how small it is. The tongue's surface turns a brilliant red then eventually sloughs off, and may be swallowed or spat out. Losing the tongue's skin may occur during a rush of black vomit and it "is said to be extraordinarily painful to lose the surface of one's tongue" (Preston 73). The effects of Ebola on the skin are extremely deleterious to the human body. veloped symptoms of viral Hemorrhagic Fever disease. There were approximately 233 deaths out of the 293 cases caused by Ebola in 1995 ("Ebola History" N.pag.). Each of the separate Ebola outbreaks have killed many people. Therefore, it is imperative that all people of the world take great precaution so that another outbreak does not occur. Possibly this epileptic splashing of blood is one of Ebola's strategies for success-it makes the victim go into a flurry of seizures as he dies, spreading blood all over the place, thus giving the virus a chance to jump to a new host-a kind of transmission through smearing (Preston 74). All of the organs in the human body are severely damaged and will eventually cease function because Ebola attacks collagen (collagen holds organs together) and turns collagen into a slimy mush.
Some common words found in the essay are:
Richard Preston, Ebola Ebola, Zone Possibly, Preston Ebola, , Reading Ebola's, Npag Ebola, Zaire Africa, Hemorrhagic Fever, History Npag, ebola virus, preston 73, human body, red spots, chance survival, medical community, virus particles, caused ebola, blood supply, host chance survival, ebola attacks, 73 red spots, dead blood cells, preston 73 red, caused ebola virus,
Approximate Word count = 1598
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
|