Assignment Communicable Diseases Nursing

Running head: COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
Name of Student
Institution affiliation

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COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
EBOLA
Communicable diseases are persistently a fundamental public health priority both in Australia
and the globe at large. Among the most pressing of such communicable diseases is Ebola. Just as
a serious illness, Ebola is caused by Ebola virus that brings about acute and serious illnesses and
harms to the human body if not treated (Crawford, 2015). The disease was first noticed in 1976
in 2 simultaneous outbreaks one in the Democratic Republic of Congo and another in South
Sudan.
The worst outbreak in West Africa was experienced between 2014 and 2016 in which there was
a complex outbreak of Ebola. This outbreak recorded the highest number of cases and deaths
since it was first noticed in 1976. Ebola is a deadly illness that is mostly characterized by internal
and external bleeding of body parts, fever, body aches and diarrhea caused by a virus that
damages the body’s immune system. It causes blood-clotting cells to drop because it ultimately
weakens the immune system of the body.
There have not been any reported cases of Ebola virus among the citizens of Australia or among
Australian animals. But even with this, the government of Australia has been careful enough and
taken the most appropriate precautions to ensure the security and safety of the Australia people
(Webber, 2009). The Australian government recognizes the social and economic situation and
the critical medical conditions that West African countries had to bear when they were affected
by the virus. In a bid to protect her citizens, the government of Australia performs screening her
citizens to protect the health of the country at large (Lederberg, 2012).

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COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
In Australia and Internationally Ebola are transmitted through human to human contact through
broken skin, mucous or saliva membranes (Richards, 2016). When the blood secretions,
organs and bodily fluids that are infected come to contact there is a high possibility of
transmission. Contaminated surfaces and materials like bedding and clothing also promote the
transmission.
It is believed that Ebola viruses are naturally hosted in fruit bats with the highest levels of
outbreaks being recorded among other species as monkeys, forest antelope, gorillas, and
chimpanzees. It is introduced into the human population via close contact with the organs, blood
or any other bodily fluids of the infected animal whether dead or alive. Hence routes of
transmission mainly include skin and other external commonly used materials like cutting blades
and sheets. The virus can be spread from an individual to another through body fluids among
them waste products and blood. It is also spread sexually when semen of a man who has
recovered from Ebola has sex with a woman or even orally (Stanhope, 2015).
The risk factors of contracting Ebola is very low in most people with all the cases of death or
illness found to have occurred in Africa except for a laboratory contamination that took place in
England and Russia. The risk of contracting this infectious disease is increased whenever people
travels to or live in African countries that have been hit by the outbreak. Among those at the
highest risks include;
 Healthcare workers and family members who could be taking care of a person infected
with Ebola (Atherstone, 2014)
 Animal researchers doing direct handling of rodent, bat or primates from a region where
Ebola virus outbreak has been experienced
 Laboratory personnel handling bodily fluids or specimen from patients with Ebola virus

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COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
 People taking part in funeral rites in which there is direct contact or exposure to the
remains of human in a region where the disease outbreak is evident (Bouzid, 2016).
Causative Agents, Hosts and Environmental Factors
There are identified five types of Ebola out of which four have been found to cause diseases in
humans. The types of Ebola include;
 Zaire ebolavirus
 Suda ebolavirus
 Tai Forest ebolavirus
 Bundibugyo ebolavirus
 Reston ebolavirus which does not cause disease in human beings
Till this date, the natural harbor of Ebola virus has not been established. This then translates that
the way in which the virus first appears in a human being is unknown. It is believed that the first
patient becomes infected by an already infected animal. The first patient gets infected when in
contact with animals such as a fruit bat or primate, apes, and monkeys. This is called spillover
event. Person to Person transmission follows and can lead to large numbers of affected persons.
In some previous Ebola outbreaks, primates also were affected by Ebola and multiple spillover
events occurred when people touched or ate infected primates (guides, 2014).
Ebola virus, just like any other viruses is acellular and obligate and requires a host in order to be
biologically active. The virus has the ability to survive while outside the body of the host even
though at reduced survival levels. Once the virus manages to get into the body of the host, it
receptor will be attached to a specific receptor in the plasma membrane and upon the attachment,
the genome of the virus is integrated into the DNA of the host. The pathonogecity of the virus is