![]() That said, the virus can persist in the placenta, amniotic fluid and fetus of people who became infected while pregnant, even after they've recovered, and the virus may also hang around in the breast milk of people who become infected while breastfeeding, according to the WHO.Įbola does not spread through the air, meaning a person cannot contract the virus from breathing the same air as an infected individual. "There is no evidence that Ebola can be spread through sex or other contact with vaginal fluids from a woman who has had Ebola," the CDC states. ![]() For this reason, the WHO recommends that EVD survivors with penises practice abstain from sex or practice correct and consistent condom use until their semen has twice tested negative for Ebola or until 12 month have passed since their initial symptoms. "The virus can remain in certain body fluids (including semen) of a patient who has recovered from EVD, even if they no longer have symptoms of severe illness," the CDC notes. The virus can also be transmitted through urine, saliva, sweat, breast milk, amniotic fluid and semen, according to the CDC. 6, 2014 states that the virus is most easily transmitted through blood, feces and vomit. The fluids may come directly from the infected patient or from surfaces touched by the sick individual, such as bedding or clothing.Ī WHO Ebola Situation Assessment for Oct. Similarly, Ebola spreads from person to person via direct contact that means that the blood, secretions, organs or other body fluids containing the virus must come into contact with broken skin or the mucous membranes of a healthy individual in order for the virus to be transmitted. How does Ebola spread?Įbola viruses jump from animals to humans when people come into close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals, according to the WHO. In addition, Ebola viruses have also been detected in insect-eating bat species, such as the free-tailed bats of Sierra Leone. While fruit bats are suspected to be the virus' reservoir host, however, scientists have not pinpointed a specific species that serves as the main host. In theory, the viruses can then spread from bats to other animal species and to humans. That means the animals likely carry the viruses without falling ill and instead act as the primary vessels that the viruses replicate in. (Image credit: Michele D'Amico supersky77 via Getty Images)Įbola viruses are zoonotic, meaning they spread to humans from infected animals during what's called a "spillover event." Animals that can carry Ebola virus include chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys, forest antelope, porcupines and bats, according to the WHO.Ĭurrent evidence suggests that African fruit bats likely serve as the natural "reservoir" for Ebola viruses in the wild, according to the CDC. Related: Scientists discover a sixth species of Ebola virus - in bats Where did Ebola viruses come from?įruit bats are thought to be the reservoir for Ebola viruses. ![]() Scientists discovered the Bombali virus fairly recently, in 2018, while they were analyzing oral and rectal swab samples taken from free-tailed bats ( Chaerephon pumilus and Mops condylurus) in Sierra Leone, according to a 2018 report in the journal Nature Microbiology. The first has been reported to cause illness in nonhuman primates and pigs, but it's not yet known whether the latter causes disease in either people or animals, other than bats. The remaining two Ebola virus species include the Reston virus (species Reston ebolavirus) and Bombali virus (species Bombali ebolavirus). Bundibugyo virus (species Bundibugyo ebolavirus).Taï Forest virus (species Taï Forest ebolavirus, formerly Côte d’Ivoire ebolavirus).To date, six species of Ebolavirus have been identified, four of which cause severe disease in humans. ![]() What are Ebola viruses?ĮVD is caused by viruses in the genus Ebolavirus within the family Filoviridae these viruses most commonly cause disease in humans and nonhuman primates, including monkeys, gorillas and chimpanzees, according to the CDC. These species of Ebola virus were named Zaire ebolavirus and Sudan ebolavirus after the areas where they were identified. Although initially thought to be part of the same large outbreak, the two 1976 outbreaks were later found to be caused by genetically distinct viruses that likely originated from different sources and independently spread through each locale.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |