2014 Ebola Epidemic in Guinea and the United States
Amy Riddell
Kaplan University
HS311 Unit:1 Assignment
Professor Daniel Gilmore
November 16, 2015 Ebola, previously known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is an exceptional and fatal disease caused by an infection with one of the Ebola virus strands that claimed an estimated 2,482 lives in Guinea, Africa alone in 2014 (Johnston, 2015). It made its first recorded appearance in 1976 near the Ebola River, which is now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The symptoms, similar to the well-known flu, consists of fever, severe headache, body aches, loss of physical strength, lethargy, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, and unexplained hemorrhaging. These symptoms can appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days, with an average of 8 to 10 days, after exposure with the virus. The Ebola infection host has not yet been identified; however, scientist believe a patient first became infected through the contact with an infected animal such as a fruit bat, monkey, ape, or chimpanzee. This transmission is described as a spillover event that occurs by touching or eating an infected animal. Once transferred to a human, Ebola will continue to infect other humans through broken skin; mucus membranes such as the eyes, nose, and mouth; or contact with contaminated blood; body fluids; clothing and bedding; needles; syringes; or other medical equipment. Because medical attention is sought upon when experiencing Ebola symptoms, healthcare professionals have a high risk of becoming infected. To date, there are no FDA approved vaccines or medications available to treat Ebola; therefore, symptoms are treated as they appear. Some treatment methods include receiving IV fluids to hydrate and stabilize electrolytes, sustain oxygen levels and blood pressure, and treating other infections as they arise. If an infected Ebola patient has managed to survive, with the help of supportive care and a strong immune system, studies have shown the development of antibodies against Ebola within that patient that could last up to 10 years. However, recovered Ebola patients commonly experience long-term side effects of joint and vision problems as well as men harboring the virus within their semen from 3 to 9 months even after recovery (Ebola (Ebola Virus Disease), 2015). To date, the Ebola epidemic infected a worldwide 28,635 people and claimed 11,314 lives (Ebola Situation Report, 2015). …show more content…
Guinea, a country located in Africa with a population of 11,474,000 people, accounted for 3,729 infection cases and 2,482 fatal cases during 2014. Meanwhile, the United States, with a recorded population of 318,900,000 people in 2014, had a total of 4 reported Ebola infection cases and only 1 Ebola fatality (Johnston, 2015). Guinea’s 2014 crude death rate was 9.69 per 1,000 population and, with a birth rate of 36.02 per 1,000 population, the infant mortality rate was an astonishing 55.24 per 1,000 live births. The United States’ 2014 crude death rate calculates to 8.15 per 1,000 population and, with a birth rate of 13.42 per 1,000 population, the infant mortality rate stood at 6.17 per 1,000 live births (Demography & Population, 2015). With only 1 Ebola fatality, the United States’ incident rate calculates to .3 per 1,000,000 person-years during January 1, 2014 and July 1, 2014 compared to Guinea’s Ebola incident rate at 3.6 per 100,000 person-years during January 1, 2014 and July 1, 2014 (Ebola Data and Statistics, 2015). Although there are many other diseases, illness, conditions, and tragic accidents that occur in Guinea and the United States, when referencing the Ebola virus, the United States proves to be more educated and cautious about containing without spreading transmissible diseases. Ebola surfaced in the United States when a man traveled from Liberia to Dallas, Texas …show more content…
(2015). Retrieved from The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation: http://kff.org/global-category/demography-population/
Ebola (Ebola Virus Disease). (2015, November 12). Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/index.html
Ebola Data and Statistics. (2015). Retrieved from World Health Organization: http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.ebola-sitrep
Ebola Situation Report. (2015). Retrieved from Wolrd Health Organization: http://apps.who.int/ebola/current-situation/ebola-situation-report-11-november-2015
Factors That Contributed to Undetected Spread of the Ebola Virus and Impeded Rapid Containment. (2015, January). Retrieved from World Health Organization: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/ebola/one-year-report/factors/en/
Infant Mortality Rate. (2014, June 23). Retrieved from World By Map: http://world.bymap.org/InfantMortality.html
Johnston, W. R. (2015, July 2015). Statistics on the 2014-2015 West Africa Ebola Outbreak. Retrieved from
Amy Riddell
Kaplan University
HS311 Unit:1 Assignment
Professor Daniel Gilmore
November 16, 2015 Ebola, previously known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is an exceptional and fatal disease caused by an infection with one of the Ebola virus strands that claimed an estimated 2,482 lives in Guinea, Africa alone in 2014 (Johnston, 2015). It made its first recorded appearance in 1976 near the Ebola River, which is now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The symptoms, similar to the well-known flu, consists of fever, severe headache, body aches, loss of physical strength, lethargy, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, and unexplained hemorrhaging. These symptoms can appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days, with an average of 8 to 10 days, after exposure with the virus. The Ebola infection host has not yet been identified; however, scientist believe a patient first became infected through the contact with an infected animal such as a fruit bat, monkey, ape, or chimpanzee. This transmission is described as a spillover event that occurs by touching or eating an infected animal. Once transferred to a human, Ebola will continue to infect other humans through broken skin; mucus membranes such as the eyes, nose, and mouth; or contact with contaminated blood; body fluids; clothing and bedding; needles; syringes; or other medical equipment. Because medical attention is sought upon when experiencing Ebola symptoms, healthcare professionals have a high risk of becoming infected. To date, there are no FDA approved vaccines or medications available to treat Ebola; therefore, symptoms are treated as they appear. Some treatment methods include receiving IV fluids to hydrate and stabilize electrolytes, sustain oxygen levels and blood pressure, and treating other infections as they arise. If an infected Ebola patient has managed to survive, with the help of supportive care and a strong immune system, studies have shown the development of antibodies against Ebola within that patient that could last up to 10 years. However, recovered Ebola patients commonly experience long-term side effects of joint and vision problems as well as men harboring the virus within their semen from 3 to 9 months even after recovery (Ebola (Ebola Virus Disease), 2015). To date, the Ebola epidemic infected a worldwide 28,635 people and claimed 11,314 lives (Ebola Situation Report, 2015). …show more content…
Guinea, a country located in Africa with a population of 11,474,000 people, accounted for 3,729 infection cases and 2,482 fatal cases during 2014. Meanwhile, the United States, with a recorded population of 318,900,000 people in 2014, had a total of 4 reported Ebola infection cases and only 1 Ebola fatality (Johnston, 2015). Guinea’s 2014 crude death rate was 9.69 per 1,000 population and, with a birth rate of 36.02 per 1,000 population, the infant mortality rate was an astonishing 55.24 per 1,000 live births. The United States’ 2014 crude death rate calculates to 8.15 per 1,000 population and, with a birth rate of 13.42 per 1,000 population, the infant mortality rate stood at 6.17 per 1,000 live births (Demography & Population, 2015). With only 1 Ebola fatality, the United States’ incident rate calculates to .3 per 1,000,000 person-years during January 1, 2014 and July 1, 2014 compared to Guinea’s Ebola incident rate at 3.6 per 100,000 person-years during January 1, 2014 and July 1, 2014 (Ebola Data and Statistics, 2015). Although there are many other diseases, illness, conditions, and tragic accidents that occur in Guinea and the United States, when referencing the Ebola virus, the United States proves to be more educated and cautious about containing without spreading transmissible diseases. Ebola surfaced in the United States when a man traveled from Liberia to Dallas, Texas …show more content…
(2015). Retrieved from The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation: http://kff.org/global-category/demography-population/
Ebola (Ebola Virus Disease). (2015, November 12). Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/index.html
Ebola Data and Statistics. (2015). Retrieved from World Health Organization: http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.ebola-sitrep
Ebola Situation Report. (2015). Retrieved from Wolrd Health Organization: http://apps.who.int/ebola/current-situation/ebola-situation-report-11-november-2015
Factors That Contributed to Undetected Spread of the Ebola Virus and Impeded Rapid Containment. (2015, January). Retrieved from World Health Organization: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/ebola/one-year-report/factors/en/
Infant Mortality Rate. (2014, June 23). Retrieved from World By Map: http://world.bymap.org/InfantMortality.html
Johnston, W. R. (2015, July 2015). Statistics on the 2014-2015 West Africa Ebola Outbreak. Retrieved from