Question

What is the taxanomy,main characteristics,pathogenicity,epidemiology diseases and treatments of the Ebola virus

Answer 1

Ebola virus taxonomy:

Order: Mononegavirales
Family: Filoviridae
Genus: Ebolavirus
Species: Zaire ebolavirus

Characteristics:

It is threadlike with a cylindrical envelope. It has a negative sense linear ssRNA. Its genome is about 14kb in size. The RNA is neither polyadenylated nor does it have a 5' end cap. It has viral encoded glycoproteins which project out of its envelope as spikes. The genome codes for seven structural proteins and one non-structural protein. Its two end hosts are humans and great apes. Fruit bats are the normal carrier of the virus and are themselves unaffected by it.

Pathogenicity:

The ebolavirus causes an ebola haemorhhagic fever. It spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids. It replicates in cells and produces a large amount of white blood cells which result in fever and a septic state. After infection, the virus particles are carried to the lymph nodes where they replicate. From there the virus enters the bloodstream and speads throughout the body. The synthesis of glycoproteins reduces the cell cell adhesion, causes liver damage and improper clotting.

Epidemiology:

Ebola virus disease (EVD) has been known to spread from West Africa, which is endemic to two other such viral haemorrhagic fever viruses. The increase in the outbreaks has been a result of  increased bush meat consumption and transportation to previously inaccessible areas. It is a zoonotic virus and each outbreak is a result of infection from animal reservoir.
Equal number of males and females are affected. It usually manifests in individuals who do not take care of personal hygiene.
Transmission is usually through contact with infected individuals and their bodily fluids such as during sex or breastfeeding. Neighbours, inhabitants of shared accomodation also get infected. Cramped places with hugely populated areas are most infected.

The first outbreak happened in 1976 in Sudan. The second outbreak occured in Zaire from where the virus came to be identified. Till 2014, it had spread to Uganda and Republic of Congo. Until 2016, it was found in Ginea, West Africa. Unitl 2018, the virus had known to be spread to other parts of the world , showing two- four cases in different regions and continents.

Treatment :

rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine is the first vaccine to be proven effective against the disease. No other treatment or medication has been declared safe against the virus till date and the research is ongoing.