View source for Issues in Interdisciplinarity 2019-20/The issue of History in the 2013 - 2016 EVD epidemic

=== Biology and Virology ===
[[wikipapers:Zaire ebolavirus|Zaire Ebolavirus]] is one of the most virulent pathogens within the [[wikipapers:Viral hemorrhagic fever|hemorrhagic fevers]].<ref>Zawilińska B, Kosz-Vnenchak M. General introduction into the Ebola virus biology and disease [Internet]. Folia medica Cracoviensia. U.S. National Library of Medicine; 2014 [cited 2019Dec5]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25694096</ref> The virus spreads through contact with bodily fluids. The [[wikipapers:Incubation period|incubation period]] is 21 days, during which the patient may inadvertently cause propagation. Symptoms are similar to other diseases found in West Africa such as [[wikipapers:Malaria|malaria]], [[wikipapers:Lassa fever|Lassa fever]] and [[wikipapers:Typhoid fever|typhoid]], resulting in frequent misdiagnosis.    [[File:Diseased Ebola 2014.png|thumb|Cases and deaths from April 2014 to July 2015 during the [[wikipapers:Western African Ebola virus epidemic|2013-2015 outbreak.]] A total of 28, 646 cases.  |alt=|129x129px|left]]

[[File:Ebola virus virion.jpg|thumb|[[wikipapers:Micrograph#Electron micrograph|Electron micrograph]] of an Ebola [[wikipapers:Virus|virus]][[wikipapers:Virus|virion]]|alt=|border|239x239px|none]]

Its [[wikipapers:Genome|genome]] consists of non-segmented, negative-sense, and [[wikipapers:Negative-sense single-stranded RNA virus|single-stranded RNA molecule]]. After contagion, the virus targets and weakens the immune system, specifically [[wikipapers:Dendritic cell|dendritic cells]]. In a study published by ''[[wikipapers:Cell Host & Microbe|<nowiki/>'Cell Host & Microbe'<nowiki/>]]'', research found that the [[wikipapers:Ebola viral protein 24|VP24 protein]] on Ebola inhibits the production of [[wikipapers:Antibody|antibodies]].<ref>Servick K. Science. What does Ebola actually do? [Internet]. 13 August 2014. [Accessed 5 December 2019]. Available from: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2014/08/what-does-ebola-actually-do</ref> Toxins trigger the release of [[wikipapers:Inflammatory cytokine|proinflammatory cytokine]] and [[wikipapers:Nitric oxide|nitric oxide]], which damage the endothelial lining of blood vessels. Then, the repeated [[wikipapers:Coagulation|coagulation]] reduces blood supply resulting in fatal organ failure.<ref>Wambani RJ, Ogola PE, Arika WM, Rachuonyo HO, Burugu MW. Ebola Virus Disease: A Biological and Epidemiological Perspective of a Virulent Virus. Journal of Infectious Diseases and Diagnosis [Internet]. 2015Jan26 [cited 2019Dec5];1(1):2–4. Available from: https://www.longdom.org/open-access/ebola-virus-disease-a-biological-and-epidemiological-perspective-of-avirulent-virus-jidd-1000103.pdf</ref>[[File:Symptoms of ebola.png|thumb|Immediate symptoms of Ebola |220x220px|alt=|left]]

No cure exists for EVD, but in 2016 the [[wikipapers:RVSV-ZEBOV vaccine|rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine]] was found to be 70-100% effective.<ref>Henao-Restrepo AM, Camacho A, Longini IM, Watson CH, Edmunds WJ, Egger M. Efficacy and effectiveness of an rVSV-vectored vaccine in preventing Ebola virus disease: final results from the Guinea ring vaccination, open-label, cluster-randomised trial. The Lancet [Internet]. [cited 2019Dec8];389:505–18. Available from: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(16)32621-6/fulltext</ref>