Ebola and the Public Health Triad: Understanding Transmission

This journal assignment delves into the Ebola virus, examining its relationship to the public health triad, which includes a susceptible host, an external agent, and the environment. The assignment explores the modes of transmission, emphasizing direct contact with infected bodily fluids like saliva, urine, and blood, and the role of fruit bats as carriers. It classifies Ebola as a communicable disease due to its transmission through bodily fluids and highlights that it is not an airborne infection. The assignment references relevant literature to support its analysis of the virus's characteristics and transmission mechanisms. This analysis provides an overview of the disease, its transmission, and the public health implications.

Running head: EBOLA AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH TRIAD INSTRUCTIONS
JOURNAL: EBOLA AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH TRIAD INSTRUCTIONS
Name of the Student
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Author Note

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JOURNAL: EBOLA AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH TRIAD INSTRUCTIONS
Ebola is characterised by a viral haemorrhagic fever caused by an infection from one of
the strains of Ebola virus in humans as well as non-human primates along with sore throat,
vomiting, headache, diarrhoea, rash and several other symptoms. The liver and kidney cannot
function properly making the disease more severe that can also increase the risk of death.
How does Ebola relate to the public health triad?
A triad is consisted of a susceptible host, an external agent and an environment bringing
host and the agent together which correlates with one another to product disease. An appropriate,
practical and effective public health measure is developing to control and prevent these diseases
requiring the assessment of all these three components and their connections to one another.
What are the modes for transmission for Ebola?
The virus is spread through direct contact with the body fluids of an infected person and
even animals. There are evidences that made the scientists believe the transmission of Ebola
virus initially from an infected animal that eventually ended being transmitted from person to
person affecting a huge mass of people (Judson, Prescott & Munster, 2015).
Based on the modes of transmission, is Ebola a communicable or non-communicable
disease?
Ebola is a communicable disease since it is easily transmitted through body discharge
from an infected person to a healthy body. A person will be affected by this virus if he comes in
contact with the body fluids like saliva, urine, faeces, vomit, breast milk, sweat and semen of
another infected person or a person who have died from Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). It can also
spread through direct contact of the object contaminated with body fluids from an infected
person. Fruit bats are usual carriers of this disease who are able to spread the virus without being

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JOURNAL: EBOLA AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH TRIAD INSTRUCTIONS
affected by it. Ebola is not an airborne infection that spread among humans by inhaling air. It is
spread from bodily fluids, mostly, vomit, blood and faeces ("WHO | What we know about
transmission of the Ebola virus among humans", 2019).

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JOURNAL: EBOLA AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH TRIAD INSTRUCTIONS
References:
Judson, S., Prescott, J., & Munster, V. (2015). Understanding ebola virus transmission. Viruses,
7(2), 511-521.
WHO | What we know about transmission of the Ebola virus among humans. (2019). Who.int.