Ebola kills 50% of those infected.
Early treatment of the disease has been shown to improve the odds of survival dramatically. Many treatments are being tested to address the effects of Ebola.
There is no known way to treat the disease fully. Addressing symptoms and a combination of therapies have shown some success. In previous outbreaks, the fatality rate was as high as 90%.
If you are infected by Ebola or know someone who has been, they will experience long-term effects. Experiencing a side effect of Ebola is common. Most survivors report having trouble with side effects.
Where Did Ebola Come From?
Ebola was first discovered in the late 1970s.
This discovery occurred near the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The virus may have been present before this.
The symptoms of Ebola often mimic other more common African diseases. This could have hid Ebola from international attention for a considerable time.
The disease appears to have come from primates. It is a common virus found in primates such as monkeys and apes.
The direct cause of human infection is not known but since we realized it in 1979, there have been several outbreaks. Each of these outbreaks is marked by an incredible rate of infection and death.
What Is Ebola?
Ebola is a virus that affects humans and primates. There are several types of Ebola, but only four cause infection in humans. The rest effect primates and pigs.
Initial symptoms of Ebola are like more common diseases. Flu-like symptoms of fever, body aches and fatigue are common. Once these symptoms have persisted for a while, the disease progresses.
Diarrhea and vomiting appear after the initial wave of symptoms. These intensify and commonly lead to dehydration and death.
How Is Ebola Transmitted?
Ebola is transmitted via contact with infected bodily fluids.
The most common bodily fluids to watch out for are blood and bodily waste. Any fluid that comes from an Ebola patient is infectious.
Infected fluid reaching cuts, sores, or mucous membranes such as the eyes spreads the infection. It is not just direct blood to blood contact that causes Ebola.
Ebola can be transmitted sexually. Ebola will spread through sexual contact with infected individuals.
This makes the disease very challenging to treat. It requires a great deal of precaution to not become infected when treating patients with Ebola. You can find out more here.
What Side Effect of Ebola Is Most Common?
There are several reported side effects of Ebola. The most common of these include headaches, body aches, and tiredness. These symptoms persist for years after someone has survived Ebola.
Most people believe that when you survive a disease, you will return to full health. Sadly, with Ebola, the disease is not so easy to recover from. Side effects of an Ebola infection can be severe and life-altering.
Surviving the disease means you have to survive the side effects.
The full spectrum of side effects of Ebola is not yet known. We still need extensive studies on patients who have survived. There isn’t yet enough gathered data.
The drug therapies being developed to combat Ebola will have their side effects. Given the severity of the disease, these treatments could have severe side effects.
Other Known Side Effects of Ebola
Vision issues are a common side effect of Ebola.
Survivors can face blurring or dulled vision. Sometimes they even develop a sensitivity to light. The virus can persist in the eye of a survivor after it has been destroyed in the rest of the body.
Weight gain is another common side effect of Ebola. Weight loss and loss of appetite linked to abdominal pain are also common.
The virus attacks the gastrointestinal system and damages it. Surviving the infection does not repair all the damage that was done by it. This can lead to a long process of supportive care.
There are areas of our bodies where our immune systems do not function normally. These areas are havens for Ebola. Areas such as spinal fluid and reproductive areas can harbor the Ebola virus after the disease has passed.
Coming into contact with these infected fluids can transmit the disease. Even after the danger of an Ebola infection has passed, survivors can still transmit it.
Ebola affects every survivor differently. It is a serious disease with serious consequences for your health.
Survivors Can Infect People with Ebola
Those who have survived Ebola have anti-bodies that protect against the disease. The time this protection lasts is unknown. Those that do not have this protection are at risk when dealing with Ebola survivors.
Ebola can survive in semen for a considerable amount of time after the disease has been stopped. This makes it possible for survivors to spread the infection to healthy individuals through sexual contact. This side effect is often one that people do not realize until it is too late.
Ebola Treatments Are Being Researched
Government and private entities are researching treatments for Ebola.
There is no known functional cure for Ebola. Continued testing and treatment of patients helps push our knowledge forward.
Several therapies have shown promising effects on the virus. There is even work on a vaccine that will probably become the preferred method of dealing with Ebola.
Until these treatments can be tested and proven effective, the virus will continue to claim lives. It is a virus with a long incubation period, meaning that it can take days or weeks to appear. This makes it easy to spread through travel.
Protection Is the Key to Combating Ebola
Protecting yourself from Ebola exposure is the most important step you can take.
The side effects of this terrible disease haunt the survivors of it. Ebola is a terrible health threat and has killed thousands of people.
If you have to come into contact with an Ebola survivor, do not take any chances. The persistence of this virus is a side effect of Ebola. It could show up anywhere and if it does, you will want to be prepared. The cost of not being prepared will be your life, and possibly even all those around you.
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