The emergence of new infectious diseases such as the Ebola virus has always put pressure on the health care systems resulting in high fatality rates. This disease is contagious and whose transmission depends on the interaction between the human host and an agent (CDC, 2021). This virus is classified in the filioviridae family and is responsible for destroying the blood clotting cells and weakening the immune system when someone is infected. Ebola was a contagious epidemic that affected many nations, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sierra Leone, Gabon, and Italy (CDC, 2021). Therefore, Ebola’s pathophysiology, its negative impact on the community and remediation are elaborated.
Analysis of the Ebola Virus Disease
Ebola is a deadly disease that exhibits symptoms such as fever, body aches, diarrhea, external and internal bleeding. The infection is transmissible through direct contact with body fluids such as saliva, sweat, and blood. The virus was traced in the Ebola River in DRC after natives consumed the African fruit bat, which was identified as a reservoir for the virus (CDC, 2021). Considering the fact that the disease is contagious, it spread rapidly to other nations in that year, such as England and later on to Cote D’Ivoire, Senegal, Mali and Nigeria. This data indicates that this outbreak was a global pandemic that put pressure on the health system.
Various epidemiological and risk factors contributed to the spread of this virus. Among them was a lack of preparedness to counter an emergency and public health literacy on the best preventative measures. When Ebola hit the DRC, the country was underdeveloped and lacked the specialized equipment and infrastructure to contain the spread of infection (CDC, 2021). For instance, the traditional prevention method such as holistic care was practiced, making the tracing process impossible. For example, during the initial outbreak of the virus, nurses in one of the hospitals known as Yambuku mission hospital reused needles when the numbers of infected people kept surging due to a lack of equipment to contain its spread (CDC, 2021). Additionally, the treatment, management and evidence-based interventions to maintain safety were unknown.
Public health literacy was also a significant challenge considering that citizens did not know the transmission channels and were overly exposed to the transmitters. For example, even after the fatality rate increased, people still hunted for wild meat for consumption and fulfilled cultural ceremonies and rituals (CDC, 2021). This interaction still exposed them to the infection resulting in more deaths and infections. In addition, cultural practices such as burials exposed the people to the virus since many bathed their dead by hand and dressed them for burial without putting on protective clothes (CDC, 2021). The international health organizations quickly disregarded such practices, but the new measures were not observed.
Ebola virus disease’s transmission route was the African fruit bat which carried the host, and when consumed, it caused the infection. Another transmission channel was the dead infected animal corpse which exposed the people to the virus when they came into contact with secretions, body fluids, and organs (CDC, 2021). Humans also transmitted the disease through direct contact with the infected persons’ blood, saliva, and mucous membrane.
The consequences of this infection on the community were detrimental, considering it deteriorated the people’s social, economic, and psychological wellness. When the infection rate became uncontrollable, many businesses closed down, and inflation became the new norm. In addition, most families could not fend for themselves, considering the majority of them lived below the poverty line (CDC, 2021). Such factors contributed to high rates of game meat hunting for survival, which worsened the situation. Another factor was a stigma for survivors who joined back after recovery since they were isolated and discriminated against as they were considered agents of transmission.
This negative stereotype affected mental wellness since many people became depressed for being isolated by the community. Additionally, the surge in the rate of infections put a strain on the healthcare system, with many health care providers experiencing burnout and uncertainty for their health, considering many hospital staff also got infected (CDC, 2021). The aftermath of this infection had consequences that took long before the country could recover from the negative impact. Fortunately, specific interventions could help curb the spread of the disease, including using the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR), enhancing public health literacy and promoting better health practices.
One viable reporting system is the IDSR that enables the health departments and concerned individuals to report any infectious disease outbreaks. The system is anonymous and actively operational, indicating that it is accessible to everyone. Other prevention strategies include public health literacy educating natives on the transmission channels, the symptoms, signs and possible interventions to ensure they seek help at the early stages of infection (CDC, 2021). Additionally, encouraging better health practices such as avoiding consumption of game meat, washing hands regularly, avoiding contact with infected individuals and places may help reduce future outbreaks (CDC, 2021). The government should also invest in personal protective equipment to help protect healthcare workers from infections when such pandemics occur. These interventions will ensure that people know the basics of maintaining safety to curb the spread during an outbreak.
Reference
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Ebola (Ebola virus disease).