WHO

Showing posts with label WHO. Show all posts

WHO: Stepping up the fight against Ebola in Western Sierra Leone

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="266" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b3sxXhbY3jg?feature=player_embedded" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">The Western Area of Sierra Leone is the “hotspot” in this Ebola outbreak at the moment, with the highest transmission of any of the 3 most affected countries.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">The Government of Sierra Leone, WHO and partners, are sending in a massive surge of staff and resources to this area to intensify efforts to curb the spread of Ebola disease.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Footage in this video: WHO and UNMEER</span></div>

WHO: Stepping up the fight against Ebola in Western Sierra Leone

The Western Area of Sierra Leone is the “hotspot” in this Ebola outbreak at the moment, with the highest transmission of any of th...

+ Read more »

Ebola virus disease

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQrZTXNz6cGXYXRWTqJ2PCxsFPpO6ESrWzpyvZD5lmd7vNL9Ep-XQFn9VATfIB09W9rb4tbp59gae3SESGA6aYmtkrM1Stq-kvXZzcjaHCj4oeqYMWa2vtRIT2NZjf7wWtllWFOzv4A3JX/s1600/ebola-facts-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQrZTXNz6cGXYXRWTqJ2PCxsFPpO6ESrWzpyvZD5lmd7vNL9Ep-XQFn9VATfIB09W9rb4tbp59gae3SESGA6aYmtkrM1Stq-kvXZzcjaHCj4oeqYMWa2vtRIT2NZjf7wWtllWFOzv4A3JX/s1600/ebola-facts-2.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<h3 class="section_head1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 20px 9px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></h3>
<h3 class="section_head1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 20px 9px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></h3>
<h3 class="section_head1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 20px 9px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></h3>
<h3 class="section_head1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 20px 9px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Key facts</span></h3>
<ul class="disc" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px; list-style: none outside; margin: 0px 20px 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans.</span></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission.</span></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The average EVD case fatality rate is around 50%. Case fatality rates have varied from 25% to 90% in past outbreaks.</span></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The first EVD outbreaks occurred in remote villages in Central Africa, near tropical rainforests, but the most recent outbreak in west Africa has involved major urban as well as rural areas.</span></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Community engagement is key to successfully controlling outbreaks. Good outbreak control relies on applying a package of interventions, namely case management, surveillance and contact tracing, a good laboratory service, safe burials and social mobilisation.</span></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Early supportive care with rehydration, symptomatic treatment improves survival. There is as yet no licensed treatment proven to neutralise the virus but a range of blood, immunological and drug therapies are under development.</span></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are currently no licensed Ebola vaccines but 2 potential candidates are undergoing evaluation.</span></li>
</ul>
<hr style="background-color: white; background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/lines.gif); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border: none; clear: both; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; height: 4px; line-height: 13px; margin: 10px 20px 10px 0px;" />
<h3 class="section_head1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 20px 9px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Background</span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Ebola virus causes an acute, serious illness which is often fatal if untreated. Ebola virus disease (EVD) first appeared in 1976 in 2 simultaneous outbreaks, one in Nzara, Sudan, and the other in Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo. The latter occurred in a village near the Ebola River, from which the disease takes its name.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The current outbreak in west Africa, (first cases notified in March 2014), is the largest and most complex Ebola outbreak since the Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976. There have been more cases and deaths in this outbreak than all others combined. It has also spread between countries starting in Guinea then spreading across land borders to Sierra Leone and Liberia, by air (1 traveller only) to Nigeria, and by land (1 traveller) to Senegal.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The most severely affected countries, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia have very weak health systems, lacking human and infrastructural resources, having only recently emerged from long periods of conflict and instability. On August 8, the WHO Director-General declared this outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A separate, unrelated Ebola outbreak began in Boende, Equateur, an isolated part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The virus family Filoviridae includes 3 genera: Cuevavirus, Marburgvirus, and Ebolavirus. There are 5 species that have been identified: Zaire, Bundibugyo, Sudan, Reston and Taï Forest. The first 3, Bundibugyo ebolavirus, Zaire ebolavirus, and Sudan ebolavirus have been associated with large outbreaks in Africa. The virus causing the 2014 west African outbreak belongs to the Zaire species.</span></span></div>
<h3 class="section_head1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 20px 9px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Transmission</span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is thought that fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are natural Ebola virus hosts. Ebola is introduced into the human population through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals such as chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines found ill or dead or in the rainforest.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ebola then spreads through human-to-human transmission via direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and with surfaces and materials (e.g. bedding, clothing) contaminated with these fluids.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Health-care workers have frequently been infected while treating patients with suspected or confirmed EVD. This has occurred through close contact with patients when infection control precautions are not strictly practiced.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Burial ceremonies in which mourners have direct contact with the body of the deceased person can also play a role in the transmission of Ebola.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">People remain infectious as long as their blood and body fluids, including semen and breast milk, contain the virus. Men who have recovered from the disease can still transmit the virus through their semen for up to 7 weeks after recovery from illness.</span></span></div>
<h3 class="section_head1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 20px 9px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Symptoms of Ebola virus disease</span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The incubation period, that is, the time interval from infection with the virus to onset of symptoms is 2 to 21 days. Humans are not infectious until they develop symptoms. First symptoms are the sudden onset of fever fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, symptoms of impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding (e.g. oozing from the gums, blood in the stools). Laboratory findings include low white blood cell and platelet counts and elevated liver enzymes.</span></span></div>
<h3 class="section_head1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 20px 9px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Diagnosis</span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It can be difficult to distinguish EVD from other infectious diseases such as malaria, typhoid fever and meningitis. Confirmation that symptoms are caused by Ebola virus infection are made using the following investigations:</span></span></div>
<ul class="disc" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px; list-style: none outside; margin: 0px 20px 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">antibody-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)</span></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">antigen-capture detection tests</span></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">serum neutralization test</span></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay</span></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">electron microscopy</span></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">virus isolation by cell culture.</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Samples from patients are an extreme biohazard risk; laboratory testing on non-inactivated samples should be conducted under maximum biological containment conditions.</span></span></div>
<h3 class="section_head1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 20px 9px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Treatment and vaccines</span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Supportive care-rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids- and treatment of specific symptoms, improves survival. There is as yet no proven treatment available for EVD. However, a range of potential treatments including blood products, immune therapies and drug therapies are currently being evaluated. No licensed vaccines are available yet, but 2 potential vaccines are undergoing human safety testing.</span></span></div>
<h3 class="section_head1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 20px 9px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Prevention and control</span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Good outbreak control relies on applying a package of interventions, namely case management, surveillance and contact tracing, a good laboratory service, safe burials and social mobilisation. Community engagement is key to successfully controlling outbreaks. Raising awareness of risk factors for Ebola infection and protective measures that individuals can take is an effective way to reduce human transmission. Risk reduction messaging should focus on several factors:</span></span></div>
<ul class="disc" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px; list-style: none outside; margin: 0px 20px 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Reducing the risk of wildlife-to-human transmission</b> from contact with infected fruit bats or monkeys/apes and the consumption of their raw meat. Animals should be handled with gloves and other appropriate protective clothing. Animal products (blood and meat) should be thoroughly cooked before consumption.</span></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Reducing the risk of human-to-human transmission</b> from direct or close contact with people with Ebola symptoms, particularly with their bodily fluids. Gloves and appropriate personal protective equipment should be worn when taking care of ill patients at home. Regular hand washing is required after visiting patients in hospital, as well as after taking care of patients at home.</span></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/list.gif); background-position: 0% 0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 18px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Outbreak containment measures</b> including prompt and safe burial of the dead, identifying people who may have been in contact with someone infected with Ebola, monitoring the health of contacts for 21 days, the importance of separating the healthy from the sick to prevent further spread, the importance of good hygiene and maintaining a clean environment.</span></li>
</ul>
<h3 class="section_head1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 20px 9px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Controlling infection in health-care settings:</span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Health-care workers should always take standard precautions when caring for patients, regardless of their presumed diagnosis. These include basic hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (to block splashes or other contact with infected materials), safe injection practices and safe burial practices.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Health-care workers caring for patients with suspected or confirmed Ebola virus should apply extra infection control measures to prevent contact with the patient’s blood and body fluids and contaminated surfaces or materials such as clothing and bedding. When in close contact (within 1 metre) of patients with EBV, health-care workers should wear face protection (a face shield or a medical mask and goggles), a clean, non-sterile long-sleeved gown, and gloves (sterile gloves for some procedures).</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Laboratory workers are also at risk. Samples taken from humans and animals for investigation of Ebola infection should be handled by trained staff and processed in suitably equipped laboratories.</span></span></div>
<h3 class="section_head1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 20px 9px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">WHO response</span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">WHO aims to prevent Ebola outbreaks by maintaining surveillance for Ebola virus disease and supporting at-risk countries to developed preparedness plans. The document provides overall guidance for control of Ebola and Marburg virus outbreaks:</span></span></div>
<ul class="list_dash" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px; list-style: none outside; margin: 0px 20px 12px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/who_sprite.gif); background-position: 0px -1978px; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 15px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ebola and Marburg virus disease epidemics: preparedness, alert, control, and evaluation</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When an outbreak is detected WHO responds by supporting surveillance, community engagement, case management, laboratory services, contact tracing, infection control, logistical support and training and assistance with safe burial practices.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-right: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">WHO has developed detailed advice on Ebola infection prevention and control:</span></span></div>
<ul class="list_dash" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px; list-style: none outside; margin: 0px 20px 12px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.who.int/sysmedia/media/style/img/who_sprite.gif); background-position: 0px -1978px; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px 15px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Infection prevention and control guidance for care of patients with suspected or confirmed Filovirus haemorrhagic fever in health-care settings, with focus on Ebola</span></li>
</ul>
</div>

Ebola virus disease

Key facts Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans. Th...

+ Read more »

how to prevent ebola from spreading ?

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h1 style="background-color: white; font-family: Lato, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 40px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
About Ebola Virus Disease</h1>
<div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Lato, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
Ebola, previously known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a rare and deadly disease caused by infection with one of the Ebola virus strains. Ebola can cause disease in humans and nonhuman primates (monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees).</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Lato, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
Ebola is caused by infection with a virus of the family <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/virus-families/filoviridae.html" style="color: #075290;"><em>Filoviridae</em></a>, genus <em>Ebolavirus</em>. There are five identified Ebola virus species, four of which are known to cause disease in humans: Ebola virus (<em>Zaire ebolavirus</em>); Sudan virus (<em>Sudan ebolavirus</em>); Taï Forest virus (<em>Taï Forest ebolavirus</em>, formerly <em>Côte d’Ivoire ebolavirus</em>); and Bundibugyo virus (<em>Bundibugyo ebolavirus</em>). The fifth, Reston virus (<em>Reston ebolavirus</em>), has caused disease in nonhuman primates, but not in humans.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Lato, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
Ebola viruses are found in several African countries. Ebola was first discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since then, outbreaks have appeared sporadically in Africa.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Lato, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
The natural reservoir host of Ebola virus remains unknown. However, on the basis of evidence and the nature of similar viruses, researchers believe that the virus is animal-borne and that bats are the most likely reservoir. Four of the five virus strains occur in an animal host native to Africa.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Lato, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<h1 style="background-color: white; font-family: Lato, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 40px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
Prevention from Ebola</h1>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Lato, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
There is no FDA-approved vaccine available for Ebola.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Lato, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
If you travel to or are in an area affected by an Ebola outbreak, make sure to do the following:</div>
<ul style="background-color: white; font-family: Lato, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 25px; padding: 0px;">
<li>Practice careful hygiene. For example, wash your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and avoid contact with blood and body fluids.</li>
<li>Do not handle items that may have come in contact with an infected person’s blood or body fluids (such as clothes, bedding, needles, and medical equipment).</li>
<li>Avoid funeral or burial rituals that require handling the body of someone who has died from Ebola.</li>
<li>Avoid contact with bats and nonhuman primates or blood, fluids, and raw meat prepared from these animals.</li>
<li>Avoid facilities in West Africa where Ebola patients are being treated. The U.S. embassy or consulate is often able to provide advice on facilities.</li>
<li>After you return, monitor your health for 21 days and seek medical care immediately if you developsymptoms of Ebola.</li>
</ul>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Lato, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
Healthcare workers who may be exposed to people with Ebola should follow these steps:</div>
<ul style="background-color: white; font-family: Lato, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 25px; padding: 0px;">
<li>Wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).</li>
<li>Practice proper infection control and sterilization measures. For more information, see Information for Healthcare Workers and Settings.</li>
<li>Isolate patients with Ebola from other patients.</li>
<li>Avoid direct, unprotected contact with the bodies of people who have died from Ebola.</li>
<li>Notify health officials if you have had direct contact with the blood or body fluids, such as but not limited to, feces, saliva, urine, vomit, and semen of a person who is sick with Ebola. The virus can enter the body through broken skin or unprotected mucous membranes in, for example, the eyes, nose, or mouth.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>

how to prevent ebola from spreading ?

About Ebola Virus Disease Ebola, previously known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a rare and deadly disease caused by infection with one...

+ Read more »

ORANG PENDEK OR THE LITTLE MAN OF THE FOREST

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="background-color: white; color: #38761d; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify;">In October 2004, scientists announced the discovery of the remains of what was called a hobbit-like species of human, given the scientific name of Homo Floresiensis. This news of the island of Flores, located near </span><span style="color: #38761d;">Indonesia</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #38761d;">, attracted a firestorm of speculation and controversy for its significance and authenticity, and gave cryptozoologists renewed vigour to continue searching for the mysterious ape-like creature known as the </span><span style="color: red;">Orang Pendek</span><span style="color: #38761d;">.</span></span></b><br />
<div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
</div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">This mystery primate, reported in the wilderness of Sumatra, is reported as being 80 to 150 cm tall, covered with varying shades of hair, although reddish-brown is the most commonly reported colour. It is said to be an herbivore, and to possess a large potbelly. Reportedly, it has a penchant for climbing trees. Reports of the beast have been logged for centuries, with physical evidence such as handprints and footprints.</span></b></span><br />
<div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
</div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Researchers, such as Deborah Martyr and Claude Petit have led expeditions into Sumatra in search of the Pendek. In May of 2004, the centre for Fortean Zoology led an expedition to gather proof for the existence of the Orang Pendek. They gathered sighting reports from many different village residents and put together an impressive amount of data to show that the Orang Pendek is still being seen today and may perhaps be the next great zoological discovery.</span></b></span></div>

ORANG PENDEK OR THE LITTLE MAN OF THE FOREST

In October 2004, scientists announced the discovery of the remains of what was called a hobbit-like species of human, given the scientific ...

+ Read more »

Subscribe to: Posts ( Atom )