The Epidemic Of Ebola And Hiv / Aids Essay - 1363 Words

For thousands of years throughout history, humans have had to contend with the spread of infectious diseases. One of the greatest concerns in today’s society is the constant fear of a potential outbreak of an infectious disease. A disease for which society does not have a cure or vaccine available, thereby obliterating the human race if it were to spread. Notable cases include the emergence of HIV/AIDS in the 1970s and 1980s, and the more recent 2014 outbreak of Ebola in Western Africa. Examining the distinctions between the two can give us a better understanding of how to combat potential outbreaks in the future. Ebola and HIV/AIDS are two infectious diseases with many similarities. Both diseases are caused by viruses, originating in Africa, with no approved vaccines available, leading to mass casualties. Even with their similarities, the two outbreaks had vastly different outcomes. This is due to the â€Å"visibility and latency† (Ebola vs. AIDS, 2015). HIV, which causes AIDS, does not cause death directly, but indirectly, by compromising the immune system, making the person more susceptible to other deadly infections (Ebola vs. AIDS, 2015). Of the 70 million infected with HIV, the death toll is 35 million (HIV/AIDS, 2016). The Ebola virus can kill a person directly. It can cause high fever, vomiting, and hemorrhaging, leading to organ failure. Of the roughly 8,000 cases reported by the CDC, the death toll is 4,000 (Ebola vs. AIDS, 2015). Symptoms of Ebola can be present asShow MoreRelatedInfectious Diseases And The Epidemic Essay1273 Words   |  6 Pagesrid of infectious diseases as a new one seems to appear every few years. From diseases such as the great plague, the H1N1 influenza and more recently, The Ebola virus and the HIV-AIDs epidemic. Ebola was first discovered in humans in 1976 with 2 simultaneous outbreaks. In Nzara, Sudan, and in Yambuku Democratic Republic of Congo. The name Ebola comes from the river which is near Yambuku in Congo. The virus causes a serious illness which could be fatal in untreated as the virus infects the cellsRead MoreThe Epidemic Of Infectious Disease1710 Words   |  7 Pagesand Western Africa, are HIV and Ebola, respectively (Wainberg et al., 2014). Similarities Differences Between Two Viral Killers: HIV Ebola HIV and Ebola share similarities with respect to suspected origin and routes of transmission but the outcomes for these two infections are vastly different (Tambo et al., 2016). Both viruses are zoonotic in nature, with primates as the known original hosts for HIV and bats and primates hypothesized to be the original hosts for Ebola (CDC, 2015). Routes ofRead MoreThe Epidemic Of Infectious Diseases Essay1549 Words   |  7 Pagesthe vast numbers of individuals who fall ill due to an epidemic can increase healthcare costs as well as decrease labour markets. Indirect costs as a result of public actions, such as fleeing the area of outbreak, can contribute to economic damage (Barker Bacon, 2015); not to mentioned the increased likelihood of transferring the disease from one area to another. Two infectious diseases that are of continuous interest today, HIV/AIDS and Ebola, will be contrasted in terms of their outcomes and possibleRead MoreEbola Outbreak Of West Africa1655 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction In the late 1970s, the international community was alarmed by the discovery of the Ebola virus. (Schwarz and Siegl, 1996) It was the ‘causative agent’ (Peters and Peters, 2015) of EHF (Ebola hemorrhagic fever). Ebola stems from a virus family know as Filoviridae. The virus targets various parts of the body causing a critical sickness of fever, diarrhoea, vomiting and in severe cases bleeding. However, infections do not always lead to death. ‘In previous outbreaks, 40-90% of known infectionsRead MoreThe Epidemic Of South Africa1666 Words   |  7 Pages At the height of the most recent Ebola epidemic in West Africa, fear amongst American citizens about the possibility of a more local outbreak resulted in representatives being pressured into creating harsh policies. One option that representatives of several states endorsed was a mandatory quarantine of all individuals arriving from Ebola-stricken countries. This policy was implemented de spite severe criticism from several medical professional organizations including Mà ¨decinsRead MoreA Research Study On Aids1396 Words   |  6 PagesEvery single news center has been focusing on the tremendous increase of Ebola cases lately. The thought of the disease itself instills fear in healthy citizens and produces panic in populated areas. Even though Ebola appears to be a relatively new disease to the world- making its first showcase around the 1970 s- its propaganda has overlooked other diseases. AIDS, a disease that was first documented in the 1980 s, has been a very prominent disease throughout the world. The relationship betweenRead MoreBackground Guide Of World Health Organization7133 Words   |  29 Pages Global Epidemic disease 1.Retrospect of the epidemic disease​​​​​​​ Case1 Aids​​​​​​​ 1.Aids 2.The cause of Aids and Aids’ human factor​ ​​ 3.The distributing of aids Suggestions for Further Research Relevant UN Action Case2 Ebola Read MorePrevention Of The Disease Aids Essay1528 Words   |  7 Pagesyears there have been many infectious diseases have been occurring and spreading across society. Out of the many infectious diseases, there are two that are going to be examined. The two diseases that are going to be analyzed and reviewed are Ebola and AIDS. The two diseases have a high rate of death among people who have been infected. The right rate of death has occurred for decades. Both of these diseases are highly effective at attacking the immune system of the victims. These diseases are bothRead MoreEbola Outbreak By And A Mask On The Face Of Death By Seltzer893 Words   |  4 Pages In both Ebola Outbreak by Dabbous and A mask on the Face of Death by Seltzer they discuss the social and political problems contributing to the spread of Ebola and HIV/AIDS. These Epidemics continue to spread thought out the world to millions of people. The main areas that these diseases began to spread began in very poverty stricken countries. Not only did poverty play a role in the spread but both Dabbous and Seltzer pointed out the lack of education in the area which leads people to easily beRead MoreThe Importance Of Country Information On Northern Africa1506 Words   |  7 PagesInformation: Northern Africa: Algeria- The citizens are living in poverty, but the nation is wealthy due to their mass amounts of oil. Their economy level is upper middle income rate. Within the country there is about 18,000 people living with HIV or AIDS. Algeria is willing to direct money towards healthcare, but it is riddled with poor infrastructure. Its citizens generally favor Western Medicine. Unfortunately the country faces overpopulation, and is overcrowded in some cities. Egypt- The Nation