Discovery of Ebola The discovery of Ebola was made after an epidemic of this virus was spread throughout Sub-Sahara Africa. The actual discovery was made by a native by the name of DR. Ngoy Mushola. He discovered it in 1976 after the epidemic hit his country. The first case of Ebola was called Ebola Zaire. It was discovered in Zaire hence the name. The second discovery of Ebola was called Ebola Sudan; also it was discovered in Sudan. Although both of these viruses are Ebola they have slightly adapted to the needs of their area.
Characteristics of Ebola The Ebola virus is a very primitive virus and uses R.N. A as it genetic material. Since it uses R. N. A it can go through the lysogenic cycle which makes it all the more deadly. Ebola is one of the most deadly diseases in the world. The first instance of Ebola had a 90% mortality rating and the second one had a 50% chance of survival.
Over all it kills roughly 2/3 of people it infects. If you do catch this virus then you have anywhere from 24 hours to 3 days to live. During those days you break out in a rash and your tissue gets destroyed. The Ebola virus is a classic Sheppard’s hook shape. The Ebola is very short averaging at a mere 65 nano meters.
The only way that you can transmit the virus is through direct contact or the transmission of body fluids. Breakouts of Ebola in the world The first break out of Ebola in the world happened in Zaire (now the democratic republic of Congo). This one was the most deadly of the several epidemics it had a 90% mortality rate. This one was the one that brought the disease out into the world. The second most infamous attack of this virus was in Sudan although it did not have such a deadly rate at only 50% it is still a very dangerous illness. The attack in Sudan was a virus variant of Ebola and was much less dangerous.
This disease is a death sentence to whoever gets it especially in the areas where it is most prevalent, you are dead. Are there vaccines for Ebola? Although this is such an infamous illness there is still no vaccine for it. Currently there are no F. D. A approved vaccine for Ebola yet there are scientists in Canada and America who have claimed successes on primates are hoping to test the drug on humans. The reason as to why it is so hard to conduct experiments on Ebola vaccines is because there is a limited amount of people who are allowed to conduct the experiment.
Also there are so little people infected with the virus that it is so hard to prove the results. Current research for Ebola The researchers are currently trying to find the source of Ebola. People think that it starting in the rivers near the Rift Valley. They are also trying to find out what makes the climate of central Africa so desirable for this virus in hope that if they find out what they like they can also find out what environment they don’t like. Also in Canada and America they are testing vaccines for Ebola as refrenced before they are, starting to become succesfull in finding out what makes this virus tick.