Ebola historical perspective
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Michael Maddaleni, B.S.
Overview
The virus is named after the Ebola River Valley in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaïre), near the site of the first recognized outbreak in 1976, in a mission run by Flemish nuns.[1]
Historical Perspective
Discovery
- The Ebola virus was first recognized in 1976 as a result of outbreaks of Ebola hemorrhagic fever in Zaire and Sudan.
- The fist description of ebola virus disease was made by Doctor Ngoy Mushola, in his daily log:
| “ | The illness is characterized with a high temperature of about 39°C, hematemesis [the vomiting of blood], diarrhea with blood, retrosternal abdominal pain, prostration with "heavy" articulations, and rapid evolution death after a mean of three days... | ” |
- The virus was named after the Ebola river in Zaire.
- The first outbreak occurred in Sudan between June and November 1976, due the so-called Ebola Sudan.
- The second outbreak occurred in Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) betwwen August and November 1976 due the so-called Ebola Zaire, with a mortality rate of 90%
- The third strain of Ebola, which has been coined Ebola Reston, was first recognized in 1989.
- The fourth strain of Ebola, Ebola Ivory Coast, was discovered in the Tai Forest, Cote d'Ivoire, November 1994. It was discovered during a necropsy that was performed on a deceased monkey.[2]
- The fifth strain of Ebola, Ebola Bundibugyo, was discovered in the Bundibugyo District, Uganda, November 2007.
Impact on Cultural History
- Viruses that cause haemorrhagic fevers have been popularized by the media as fierce predators that threaten to devastate global populations.
- During the early- to mid-1990s, Ebola virus was portrayed as a global threat, a fierce predator emerging from tropical areas in Africa and spreading rapidly to the rest of the mobile and interconnected world. Therefore, cases of infection with Ebola virus required rapid international notification and response. Films and books, such as The coming plague by Laurie Garrett, The hot zone by Richard Preston and the movie Outbreak starring Dustin Hoffman, all created fear about Ebola virus disease in western populations.
Famous Cases
- The case of Nurse Mayinga N'Seka, in Democratic Republic of the Congo, who died on October 20, 1976, which may represent the only case of airborne ebola virus infection.
- The non-fatal case of a Swiss 34-year-old female ethologist, in the Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire, November 24, 1994, infected by what was later recognized as a new strain of ebola virus after she performed a necropsy of a chimpanzee founded death with sings of hemorrhage.[2]
References
- ↑ Bardi, Jason Socrates (2002). "Death Called a River". Scribbs Research Institute. 2 (1). Retrieved 2006-12-08.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Formenty P, Hatz C, Le Guenno B, Stoll A, Rogenmoser P, Widmer A (1999). "Human infection due to Ebola virus, subtype Côte d'Ivoire: clinical and biologic presentation". J Infect Dis. 179 Suppl 1: S48–53. doi:10.1086/514285. PMID 9988164.