There has been an ongoing Ebola virus epidemic in many parts of West Africa. Reports suggest that it all began in Guinea, a small West African country in December 2013, before spreading to its neighbours Liberia, Senegal, Nigeria and the Democratic republic of Congo. Up to now, the most affected countries are Liberia and Sierra Leone. On 30th September 2014, it was confirmed that one American citizen had contracted the virus. Treatment of Ebola patients has been difficult and the effects of this have been devastating.
The reason Ebola has killed so many is not only because the Ebola virus is very dangerous but also because there is no known cure for the disease. When it struck, countries did not have any means to treat their sick. No medicine has been proved to be a hundred per cent effective against the disease and as such, symptoms of the disease are treated as they arise. Treatment for Ebola patients therefore often involves stabilising blood pressure and levels of oxygen and blood pressure, providing intravenous fluids due to the high rate of dehydration, balancing of body salts and dealing with any other symptoms if and when they occur.
American doctors have however been able to treat several Ebola patients successfully using an experimental drug now called ZMapp. The drug is a combination of three antibodies, and is being produced by a San Diego Company called Mapp Biopharmaceutical. The drug was used on human beings after it produced positive results when tested on animals. Plans are underway to increase production of the drug. Interstingly, this drug is made from Tobacco, which when infected with a virus; causes ground tobacco leaves to produce an antibody against that virus. ZMapp offers the world hope that treatment for Ebola Patients will be possible in the near future.
