Question

Question Set 3: What is a Spillover? What factors created the "perfect storm" which lead to the rapid spread of Ebola in West Africa? How does Ebola spread and what are the symptoms? What is contact tracing and how is it used during an outbreak?

Answer 1

Spillover term in biology is used to define the spread of a pathogen from a reservoir host into a competent host at a rapid pace. The perfect storm situation was created in Africa during the Ebola outbreak due to lack of proper awareness, attending and touching the dead bodies of the Ebola infected patients, belief in traditional practices and poor economy unable to afford the western medicine and infrastructure. These conditions were the perfect storm that helped the rapid outbreak of Ebola in Africa. The Ebola is spread by human contact with the affected persons secretions, blood and fluid contact. The symptoms of Ebola include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and vomiting diarrhea. The contact tracking is a method which is used to trace the cause of the infection transmission and stop the cause. The people who have been in contact with the infected person are traced and they are kept in isolation and tests are performed on these primary and secondary contact people to stop the spread of the pandemic.

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