Causes and Effects of Ebola

Running Head: CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF EBOLA 1
CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF EBOLA
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CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF EBOLA 2
Introduction
Ebola is a deadly infection spread through Ebola virus found in body fluids or the blood
of an infected person. Contact with an infected animal or object can also lead to the spread of
Ebola. West African countries especially Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea have been the main
affected by the outbreak of Ebola with the 2014 West African Ebola outbreak being ranked the
most widespread in the history of the Ebola virus. The virus is said to have originated from wild
animals. The virus first appeared in 1972 in a place called Yambuku in Congo and Nzara in
South Sudan (WHO, 2018). This essay will discuss the cause and effects of the Ebola Virus.
Ebola is caused by the Ebola Virus. It occurs when the virus gets transmitted from
infected animals such as gorillas, Chimps and fruit bats to a human being. It also transmitted
among human beings through blood and body secretions and fluids such as urine, stool, sweat,
semen breast milk and blood. Some species of Fruits Bats are alleged to be the hosts of the Virus
(Wilkinson & Leach, 2015). Transmission can also be caused through contact with bodies of a
person who has died out of the virus or contact with contaminated objects. Cultural burial
practices in some countries that wash bodies of deceased persons can also lead to the spread of
Ebola Virus. It is believed that the quick spread of the virus to West Africa was aided by
movements of bats across the region (Bradford, 2018). The first case of Ebola virus in the United
States was reported in 2014. It involved a patient who had been in Liberia and who died ten days
after arriving in the US. Two other healthcare workers contracted the disease in the course of
carrying out their duties.
Effects of Ebola. The outbreak of Ebola came with many consequences both during after
it occurred. One notable effect was fear among the affected population that came with the

CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF EBOLA 3
outbreak. Notably, the spread of the virus was hastened by this fear (Nyei, 2016). It resulted in a
situation where sick patients were concealed at home and not taken to hospitals. Traditional
healers became proffered by many of the affected populations. The fear also led to physical
contact with infected bodies and escape of symptomatic patients from treatment units.
Additionally, a closure of regular health centers followed the outbreak increasing the number of
deaths from curable ailments which had been prevalent in the region at the time of the Ebola
outbreak. A large number of deaths were caused by typhoid fever and malaria (Nyei, 2016).
One of the effects of ebola virus was death and Infection of healthcare workers.
Secondly, by December 14, 2014, a total of 356 healthcare workers had succumbed to the illness
while 649 others had become ill(Rettner, 2015).. As the outbreak became more prevalent leading
to filling up of Ebola treatment units the role of taking care for Ebola patients was left over to
family members increasing their risk of contracting the deadly infection because they did so
without any protection (Wilkinson & Leach, 2015).
Secondly, ebola also caused Eye problems to the survivors. About 15 percent of
Congolese patients who had survived the disease developed eye problems including loss of
vision and eye pain (Freeman, 2015). These same were also reported in some parts of West
Africa. These vision problems however responded well to treatment but those which were left
untreated led to blindness. In some instances also, the disease leads to longer disability on the
affected survivors (Rettner, 2015).
Tirdly, it had significant Implication on maternal and child health. The outbreak of Ebola
disease in West Africa had a significant impact on child and maternal health indicators continent
(Thomas et al., 2014). Previously before its occurrence, the region had recorded a positive trend