Global Perspective on Social Determinants of Health - Ebola

Running Head: GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE ON SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH – EBOLA1
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE ON SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH – EBOLA
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GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE ON SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH– EBOLA2
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE ON SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH – EBOLA
With continuous technological advancements, the world is becoming smaller as
information is more easily passed on from one person or country to another. It is more difficult to
use the traditional distinctions between countries as either developed, developing or
underdeveloped. This is because three or two worlds can exist in the same geographically located
country. In many countries formerly termed as developing, there may exist wealthy middle-class
families who consume akin or even better domestic products as compared to their counterparts in
developed countries. However, in the case of diseases and infections, the social gradient is a vital
issue. Social gradient describes the differences in socio-economic status between countries. The
spread of infections and diseases such as HIV/AIDS is more rapid in poor countries, that is, those
with low socioeconomic status (Beckfield, Olafsdottir & Bakhtiari, 2013). This paper discusses
Ebola, a serious and often fatal disease that affects primates. It describes its transmission as well
as its vaccination details in comparison with some other diseases. The paper also deliberates
public health management and prevention of Ebola in the context of wealthy versus poor nations.
Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), as the name suggests is caused by infection with a virus,
genus Ebolavirus of the Filoviridae family.The other genera in the Filoviridae family are
Marburgvirus and Cuevavirus.Five species have been recognizedwithin the genus Ebolavirus:
Bundibugyo,Zaire, Taï Forest, Sudan,andReston. EVD first appeared simultaneously in two
outbreaks in Africa, particularly in Yambuku (Democratic Republic of Congo) and in a location
that is now called Nzara (South Sudan) in 1976. The disease takes its name from Ebola River,
located near a village where it first appeared in DRC(WHO, 2018).Sudan ebolavirus,
Bundibugyo ebolavirus, and Zaire ebolavirus associated with large outbreaks of the disease in
Africa. The 2014 to 2016 outbreak in West Africa was caused by the Zaire ebolavirusand was

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE ON SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH– EBOLA3
the most complex and largest epidemic since its discovery in 1976. It involved more fatalities
than all other outbreaks combined as it spread across countries from Guinea to Liberia and Sierra
Leone(Awah, Boock&Kum, 2015).
The virus is considered zoonotic as it is introduced to humans from animals through close
contact with the organs, secretions, blood or other organs of an infected animal’s body.The fruit
bats of the Pteropodidae family are thought to be natural hosts of the Ebola virus.Monkeys,
gorillas, forest antelopes, chimpanzees, and even porcupines are other animals that can transmit
EVD to humans. The disease then spreads from one human being to another through direct
contact with bodily fluids and materials or surfaces that have been contaminated with the fluids,
such as clothes and beddings (Malvy et al., 2019). Even after the death of an infected person, the
virus can be transmitted if the burial ceremony entails direct contact with the body. As long as
their blood and secretions contain the virus people remain infectious.Male survivors are thus
advised to observe safe sex or abstain from all kinds of sex until their semen has twice tested
negative for Ebola virus (WHO, 2018).
The interval from the infection with the Ebola virus to the onset of the disease’s
symptoms (incubation period) ranges from 2 to 21 days. The signs and symptoms of Ebola
include body weakness, diarrhea, and fever, lack of appetite, headaches, vomiting, joint and
muscle pains, and stomach pains. Some patients also experience rash, chest pains, difficulty in
breathing and swallowing, coughs, internal and external bleeding, hiccups, and sore throat as
well as red eyes. Findings in the laboratory entail low platelet count and white blood cells as well
as enhanced liver enzymes.
Ebola disease is associated with abnormal inflammatory responses, immune suppression,
viral replication, electrolyte losses, and major fluid as well as high mortality. The cycle of virus