Detailed Outline
I. Abstract
A. Brief summary of the project
What is Ebola
Where Ebola originated and the causes for it
In this respect, J. Boulton states that Ebola was “up until now a little known tropical disease”. (Boulton, 2015) The purpose is to show why the Ebola has evolved from the unknown disease to an epidemic that swept all over Africa and threatened the rest of the world.
Studies conducted on Ebola and why they are important.
II. Introduction
Ebola is a dangerous disease, also known as Ebola virus disease(EVD) or Ebola hemorrhagic fever. It is caused in humans by ebolaviruses. The main symptoms of the disease involve vomiting and diarrhea as well as high temperature. Then rash, external and internal bleedings may set in while the functions of liver and kidneys become decreased. There has been registered a high mortality and morbidity rates among the Ebola patients, with the risk of dying approximately ranging from 25 up to 90 per cent depending on the treatment provided.
i. Define ebolavirus.
ii. Describe how ebolaviruses may cause the condition known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever.
iii. Describe the treatments that have been available
iv. Dwell on the successful instances of cures from the disease
III. Materials and Methods
i. Design proper diagnostics for Ebola. What factors should be taken into account when the diagnosis is made?
Thus, the research conducted by the American college of physicians did the study where “Clinical and laboratory testing data for the patients were collected retrospectively at the 3 hospitals where they received care and the data were reviewed and described”. (American College of Physicians, 2015) The similar task can be set in our research.
ii. Initial case of Ebola as transference of the ebolavirus from the animal to a human. The use of comparative method: dwell on how the disease progresses in humans differently as opposed to animals. Explain the similarities
iii. Define the notion of the natural reservoir for Ebola. Why fruit bats are considered to be the likely carriers of the virus, without getting sick themselves.
B. Pathophysiology
i. Cells where ebolaviruses replicate
ii. Explain how ebolavirus is believed to infect humans. Dwell on every stage of the process of infection. Link the topic to humans’ cells.
iii. The additional information on the process of infection such as time it takes, factors contributing to the infection, etc.
C. Immune system evasion
i. Explain the interrelation between ebolaviruses and immune system
ii. VP24 and VP35 structural proteins of ebolavirus
iii. Interferon-stimulated human genes and their role in immune system evasion
IV. Results
A. Basic knowledge gleaned on Ebola
i. Prevention of the disease
ii. Combatting the disease
iii. Restricting the disease.
V. Conclusion
All the variety of research available shows that Ebola can be won over. However, the initial success and optimism about defeating the disease was supplanted by the disease spreading across Africa. Now it has been finally contained. Yet the case remains in many ways unresolved and this contributes to urgent need for further and more comprehensive studies in the field. The special emphasis should be put on clarifying such issues as its reservoir, its transmission from animals to humans as well as from humans to animals. Furthermore, new methods of prevention, treatment and restriction of the disease should be taken into account.
Draft.
There has been ample research on Ebola though some voids are still to be filled into. In the present paper the special focus will be laid on the most reputable sources that will be considered within the framework of our study. Certain aspects pertaining to the research of Ebola in general will be dwelt on.
The key notion of the study is the ebolavirus since it is the transmitter of the disease. There a number of ebolaviruses distinguished depending on the region where they occur. Since Ebola has been predominantly confined to Africa the names of viruses bear some African geographic nominations: Bundibugyo ebolavirus, Reston ebolavirus, Sudan ebolavirus, Taï Forest ebolavirus (originally Côte d'Ivoire ebolavirus), and Zaire ebolavirus. However, all of these are united in the sense that their protein VP24 connected to human cells is the cause for the serious medical condition known as Ebola.
The treatment for Ebola available now, unfortunately, does not include a medication that would be really effective in all cases. This leads to some fear and uncertainty in dealing with the disease. As the US Department of Health and Human Services puts it “Ensuring confidence in the health care system has been a challenge to Ebola virus disease” (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2016) Depending on the situation, various drugs are used but the success of treatment is not guaranteed. Arguably those incidents that were testimonies to successful treatment have been rather due to the patient’s immune system rather than provided medicine.
Of the importance is diagnostics provided for the disease. The symptoms of Ebola involve vomiting and diarrhea as well as high temperature. Then rash, external and internal bleedings may set in while the functions of liver and kidneys become decreased. The doctor ought to consider the symptoms complexly.
Furthermore, it can be stated that doctors should be specifically trained to deal with Ebola cases. This point is stressed in Kelly Lupton’s article. The researcher writes: “The current Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa has initiated the request for local and international healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses and healthcare assistants to volunteer to care for patients” (Center for Disease Control, 2014)
References
American College of Physicians. (2015). Characteristics and Clinical Management of a Cluster of 3 Patients With Ebola Virus Disease, Including the First Domestically Acquired Cases in the United States: Annals of Internal Medicine Journal. Vol. 163 No. 2
Center for Disease Control. (2014). Cluster of Ebola Cases Among Liberian and U.S. Health Care Workers in an Ebola Treatment Unit and Adjacent Hospital — Liberia, 2014. Journal of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/hcp/index.html
US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) & Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2016). Public Confidence in the Health Care System 1 Year After the Start of the Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak — Sierra Leone, July 2015: Journal of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Retrieved from: http://focus1000.org
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