Ebola Virus

Ans. is ‘c’ i.e., Ebola virus

• Ebola virus belongs to hemorrhagic fever (see above explanation).

Ans. is ‘b’ i.e., Filovirus

.    Filoviridae includes –       Marburg virus, Ebola virus

Ans. is ‘a’ i.e., Ebola, ‘b’ i.e. Yersinia, ‘c’ i.e. C. botulinum

Bioterrorism

.    A bioterrorism attack is the delibrate release of viruses, bacteria or other germs ( agents) used to cause illness or death in people, animals or plants. These agents are typically found in nature, but it is possible that they could be changed to increase their ability to cause disease, make them resistant to current medicines or to increase their ability to be spread into the environment. Biological agents can be spread through the air, through water or in food. Terrorists may use biological agents because they can be extermely difficult to detect and do not cause illness for several hours to several days. Some bioterrorism agents, like the small pox virus, can be spread from person to person and some like anthrax, cannot.

Bioterrorism agent categories

Category A

.   These high priority agents include organisms or toxins that pose the highest risk to the public and national security because:

i)         They can be easily spread or transmitted from person to person.

ii)       They result in high death rates and have potential for major public health impact.

iii)      They might cause public panic and social disruption.

iv)     They require special action for public health preparedness.

Category B

.  These agents are second highest priority because:

i)         They are moderately easy to spread.

ii)       They result in moderate illness rates and low death rates.

iii)      They require specific enhancements of CDC’s laboratory capacity and enhanced disease monitoring. Category C

.    These third highest priority agents include emerging pathogens that could be engineered for mass spread in the future because:

i)         They are easily available.

ii)       They are easily produced and spread.

iii)      They have potential for high morbidity and mortality rates and major health impact.

CDC Category A, B, and C Agents

Category A

Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis)

Botulism (Clostridium botulinum toxin)

Plague (Yersinia pestis)

Smallpox (Variola major)

Tularemia (Francisella tularensis)

Viral hemorrhagic fevers

Arenaviruses : Lassa, New World (Machupo, Junin, Guanarito, and Sabia)

Bunyaviridae : Crimean Congo, Rift Valley

Filoviridae : Ebola, Marburg

Flaviviridae : Yellow fever; Omsk fever; Kyasanur Forest Category B

Brucellosis (Brucella spp.)

Epsilon toxin of Clostridium perfringens

Food safety threats (e.g., Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli 0157:H7, Shigella)

Glanders (Burkholderia mallei)

Melioidosis (B. pseudomallei)

Psittacosis (Chlamydia psittaci)

Q fever (Coxiella burnetii)

Ricin toxin from Ricinus communis (castor beans)

Staphylococcal enterotoxin B

Typhus fever (Rickettsia prowazekii)

Viral encephalitis [alphaviruses (e.g., Venezuelan, eastern, and western equine encephalitis)]

Water safety threats (e.g. Vibrio cholerae, Cryptosporidium parvum) Category C

Emerging infectious diseases threats such as Nipah, hantavirus, and SARS coronoavirus.

Ans. is ‘d’ i.e., Filoviridae

Ans:D.)Filoviridae.

The virus shown in the picture above represent Ebola virus. It belongs to filoviridae.

Ebola Virus

• Filoviruses such as Ebola virus share a characteristic filamentous form, with a uniform diameter of approximately 80 nm but a highly variable length. Filaments may be straight, but they are often folded on themselves .
  • EBOV carries a negative-sense RNA genome .
• The natural reservoir of Ebola virus is believed to be bats, particularly fruit bats .
• In patients who have Ebola virus infection, 2 types of exposure history are recognized: primary and secondary.
  • A history of primary exposure usually involves travel to or work in an Ebola-endemic area, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo ,Sudan, etc.
  • Secondary exposure refers to human-to-human or primate-to-human exposures.
• Ebola virus is responsible for outbreaks of severe human hemorrhagic fever
  • Incubation period of the disease caused by an ebola virus is about 2-21 days.
  • It kills up to 90% of people who are infected.

Ans:C.)2-21 days.

The organism shown in the picture above represent Ebola virus.

Ebola Virus

• Filoviruses such as Ebola virus share a characteristic filamentous form, with a uniform diameter of approximately 80 nm but a highly variable length. Filaments may be straight, but they are often folded on themselves .
  • EBOV carries a negative-sense RNA genome .
• The natural reservoir of Ebola virus is believed to be bats, particularly fruit bats .
• In patients who have Ebola virus infection, 2 types of exposure history are recognized: primary and secondary.
  • A history of primary exposure usually involves travel to or work in an Ebola-endemic area, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo ,Sudan, etc.
  • Secondary exposure refers to human-to-human or primate-to-human exposures.
• Ebola virus is responsible for outbreaks of severe human hemorrhagic fever
  • Incubation period of the disease caused by an ebola virus is about 2-21 days.
    
  • It kills up to 90% of people who are infected.