groups » Laboratories discussion group » EBOLA VIRUS OUTBREAK IN WEST AFRICA
Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is a severe disease that causes severe internal bleeding and extremely high fever in humans and other primates. Ebola is transmitted into humans through contact with the body fluids i.e blood, secretions, saliva, sweat, urine, faeces and other body secretions. It is spread in the human population through human-to-human contact. The infection by Ebola is a death sentence because there is no known cure neither vaccine.
Since March 2014, Ebola Virus has been ravaging West African countries namely Guinea, Liberia, Sieera Leon and Nigeria. A total of 1848 suspected and confirmed cases of Ebola Virus Disease and 1013 have already died by 9th August 2014. Of the 1848 clinical cases, 1176 have been confirmed by the Laboratory. Now here are my questions
1) Should we consider Ebola as a Global Health problem or it is just a problem of West African Countries only?
2) what is the role of Laboratory in the the prevention and Control of Ebola Virus Disease?
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Karla Lam
22 Apr 2015
Thank you everyone for such valuable contributions and please give your opinion on the interesting questions Ken Awuondo posted above.
We have published a new editorial on the topic of media reporting and the ebola outbreak. You can find the article here: https://ebolaclinicaltrials.tghn.org/articles/ebola-outbreak-possible-implications-media-reporting-may-have-/
We hope you find it interesting/useful and please let us know any comments.
Thanks.
Regards,
Ebola Clinical Trials and Global Health Microbiology
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konstantina
15 Apr 2015
this is africa and europe problem
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KEN AWUONDO
14 Apr 2015
What is the progress of Ebola outbreak in West Africa. It appears like Ebola is gradually subsiding after ferocious killing in West Africa and creating another problem of orphans. What lessons have we learnt from Ebola outbreak in West Africa? How can we prevent the occurrence of that magnitude? What role should Global Heath programmes play?
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Karla Lam
20 Jan 2015
To keep up to date with the most recent general information about Ebola and on-going clinical trials of interventions against it visit our new Ebola Clinical Trials site (https://ebolaclinicaltrials.tghn.org/updates/).
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Karla Lam
13 Nov 2014
Read more about Oxford to lead experimental #Ebola drug trial
http://bit.ly/1xQKJRl -
Karla Lam
13 Nov 2014
Combatting Ebola: Leadership and Infrastructure are Keys to Success.
Interview with Dr. Peter Piot, Ebola Co-Discoverer. -
Karla Lam
6 Nov 2014
Why Nigeria's Response to Ebola Succeeded? Webinar
10:00AM - 11:00AM EST November 7, 2014
To find out more go to:
https://globalhealthtrials.tghn.org/community/blogs/post/2160/2014/11/join-us-for-a-webinar-why-nigerias-response-to/ -
Karla Lam
3 Nov 2014
What trials are ongoing in Ebola? Follow the link to find out more:
https://globalhealthlaboratories.tghn.org/community/blogs/post/383/2014/10/what-trials-are-ongoing-in-ebola/ -
KEN AWUONDO
16 Oct 2014
Ebola virus is proving to be a Global Health problem. When I posed this question two months ago when the Ebola epicenter was just a small Village tucked in bewteen Guinea, Sierra Leon and Liberia, no one ever imagined that the Ebola will find its way to USA and Europe. Now, Ebola is spreading and the world is waking up to reality. If all the countries through WHO had responded then at that time, Ebola could have been nabbed and stifled in the nick of time. Nevertheless, we still have to fight Ebola with all the resources available
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Karla Lam
8 Oct 2014
The last issue of the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM) newsletter, Lab Culture, includes a very interesting article that talks about effective response to emerging infectious diseases outbreaks (such as Ebola) and the laboratory workers as key partners. It also talks about how mobile laboratories have been been implemented as an outbreak response tactic in West Africa sponsored by the European Mobile Laboratory Consortium (EMLab) in coolaboration with the WHO, MSF, NICD, etc.
Follow the link to access the newsletter: http://www.aslm.org/stay-informed/press-room/lab-culture-newsletter/ -
Mba Fongang Hugues
21 Sep 2014
I think we should consider Ebola as a global Health problem.We can now see how not only west africans people are infected.
I perculiar like to say there is a major problem with Laboratories in African countries.
Can someone tell me please the numbers of countries here able to diagnose Ebola virus from labs? -
Karla Lam
18 Sep 2014
PLOS has compiled a collection of PLOS resources on Ebola, stressing the urgent need for research into all aspect of this Ebola outbreak - https://flipboard.com/section/plos-ebola-collection-bRVgYj -
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Karla Lam
28 Aug 2014
The African Society of Laboratory Medicine has compiled a comprehensive variety of resources related to Ebola for quick reference, including latest outbreak facts and news, specimen handling guidelines, diagnostic information, infection control manuals, communication tools, etc.
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KEN AWUONDO
15 Aug 2014
Please follow the link below and find some procedures in handling of specimens from cases of suspected viral haemorrhagic fevers, including Ebola virus.
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/cda-phln-vhf-parta.htm
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Nicola McHugh
14 Aug 2014
The outbreak of Ebola in West Africa is of world-wide concern both because we all care about the effects of a deadly virus on any population; and also because of the potential for this disease to spread through international travel. We are concerned for the health and welfare of both patients and healthcare workers including lab staff and nurses.
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