Although both Enterovirus and Ebola virus emerged in the second half of last century, new outbreaks of these virus infections shocked the scientists and the whole society in 2014. It has been proved that Enterovirus (D68) infects mostly children, and Ebola, on the other hand, is observed in adults. Both of these virus diseases are highly dangerous and can cause lethal outcome. What is the most difficult about the treatment of EV-D68 and EVD (Ebola virus disease) is that the vaccine against it was not invented yet, and if children with Enterovirus are likely to recover, the Ebola virus kills its victims in 50% of cases. For today the world is quite worried about these two epidemics and desperately seeking ways to prevent the spread of the diseases. However, the society does not understand yet which of two viruses is more dangerous. And in order to find out what people should be more afraid of – Enterovirus in children or Ebola virus – the main differences between these infections need to be determined.
Enterovirus is a virus which belongs to the family Picornavirus and includes more than sixty variations of enterovirus infections. A child can get ill with one of the types only at once and as soon as he recovers from the infection, he will develop immunity to this type of virus. However, the same child can be infected with other enteroviruses as well, and such a large variety of enterovirus infections causes the main problem in developing the effective vaccine. EV-D68 in children infects gastrointestinal tract and in several cases causes paralysis. On the other hand, Ebola virus infects people and several other primates; the EVD is usually caused by one of the five forms of Ebolavirus and causes hemorrhagic fever in humans. Ebola usually infects the blood vessels, making them more permeable; liver, in which the blood clotting factors appear; kidney, lungs and other organs. Thereby, it is obvious that these two viruses infect different organs.
The differences between Enterovirus in children and Ebola virus are also detected in the ways of infections’ spreading. It should be noticed that Ebola infects people in Africa because of the infected animals: “bats may be carriers of Ebola Other than bats, some of these animals include monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas, forest antelope and porcupines” (Bradford 2014), while Enterovirus is only human infection. Moreover, Ebola spreads only by the fluids of the body: blood, sweat and other fluids; it is transmitted by the direct contact with the infected person (or animal), including a dead body. “The Ebola virus can also be transmitted indirectly, by contact with previously contaminated surfaces and objects Saliva and tears may also carry some risk” (“What We Know about Transmission of the Ebola Virus” 2014). Unfortunately, Enterovirus in children spreads even more easily: “EV-D68 likely spreads from person to person when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or touches a surface that is then touched by others” (“Enterovirus: What Parents Need to Know” 2014), what means that it is spread by air, water and food as well as by the direct contact with an infected child. That is why it is extremely important in both cases of EVD and EV-D68 to isolate sick person from other people and to quarantine him. Though, in the case of Enterovirus infection adults can communicate with infected children due to their immune system.
An incubation period of EV takes from two to ten days, and in case of EVD it lasts from two to twenty-one days. Some symptoms of both infections are similar: a fever is about 38-39 degrees Celsius, headache, diarrhea, abdominal pain. Children infected with Enterovirus can also feel nausea, which causes vomit. It should be noted that symptoms of EV-D68 can disappear periodically, that is why it is so important for child to see a doctor right after the first symptoms. In the same time, the most characteristic symptom of Ebola virus is bleeding from mucous (the nose, gums, eyes, lungs). The most severe consequences of Enterovirus in children are meningitis, paralysis or even death, although fatal outcome has rarely occurred. Ebola virus disease is much more dangerous – 50% of all infected people have already died. The vaccine against this terrible disease is hard to invent. Nevertheless, scientists all over the world are working on it.
References
Bradford, A. (2014). Ebola: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment. Live Science. Retrieved from
http://www.livescience.com/48311-ebola-causes-symptoms-treatment.html
Gholipour, B. (2014). How Often Does Enterovirus D68 Cause Paralysis? Live Science. Retrieved from
http://www.livescience.com/48063-how-enterovirus-d68-causes-paralysis.html
What We Know about Transmission of the Ebola Virus Among Humans. (2014). World Health Organization. Retrieved from
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/ebola/06-october-2014/en/
Enterovirus: What Parents Need to Know. (2014). Healthy Children. Retrieved from
http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/infections/Pages/Reports-of-a-Severe-Respiratory-Illness-on-the-Rise.aspx
