Thanks to medicine, man has been able to contain or eliminate certain viruses that would have wreaked severe havoc on humanity. Although viruses like smallpox and polio have been managed to a great extent, ebola and the likes still pose a great threat to humanity in the 21st century.
Here are 5 of the world’s most dangerous viruses that scientists are still trying to figure out how to curb in the 21st century
Marburg Virus
The marburg virus’s main target is the human circulatory system. The marburg virus is characterized by all kinds of horrible symptoms. The person experiences fevers, sore throat, headache, diarrhea, vomiting, and massive internal bleeding. This continues until the circulatory system shuts down and the person eventually dies.
The virus was discovered by a group of German scientists in 1967. Some of them contracted the disease when they were exposed to green monkeys endemic to Uganda.
The scary thing about marburg virus is that it keeps showing up, especially in Central Africa, and when it does, it kills more than 87% of its victims. Scary right?! At the moment, no licensed vaccine for the marburg virus exists today.
Ebola Virus
The 2014 ebola virus outbreak in Nigeria and other parts of West Africa is one event that is still fresh in the minds of a lot of people and probably you. As scary as this sounds, this was the largest outbreak since the disease was discovered in 1976. As a matter of fact, more than 11,000 people died during this outbreak and there were over 28,000 reported cases of the virus. Although scientists do not yet know where this rare yet fatal disease comes from, they believe that fruit-bats may be the most likely source.
The ebola virus is a cousin to the marburg virus and they are both members of the filovirus family. The symptoms of the ebola virus can be sudden and the include flu-like symptoms such as fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and internal and external bleeding.
This ebola virus has an average fatality rate of 50%, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). While there is no proven treatment (antiviral drugs) for the disease, there have been concerted efforts to develop a vaccine for some time.
Hantavirus
The first incidence of the hantavirus was recorded in New Mexico and Arizona. This disease is characterised by flu-like symptoms, which are followed by acute respiratory failure. People contact the hantavirus when they inhale the urine and feces of deer mice. Transmission is also possible if a rodent bites a human but this is a very rare occurrence. Fortunately, this virus is not spread from person to person.
While there is no cure, treatment, or vaccine for the hantavirus, the chances for survival are higher if it is recognised early and medical care is received early.
Lassa Fever
This disease was discovered in 1969 in Lassa, Nigeria. It is characterised by hemorrhagic fever and has a high mortality of 15% to 50%. Exposure to the urine of of the infected small rodent Mastomys in food or water sources is a common cause of infection. The disease is also airborne, making it transmittable from human to human.
The virus is asymptomatic in about 80% of patients. While no vaccine for this virus exists, ribavirin can help if administered early enough.
Rabies
Ladies and gentlemen, we introduce to you the deadliest disease of them all – Rabies. This disease is notorious for being nearly 100% fatal if left untreated. Once a person has been diagnosed with symptoms of the disease, then death is almost certain. In fact, fewer than 10 people infected with rabies have lived to tell the story.
The rabies virus is found all over the world in more than 150 countries and territories, with most incidence in Asia and Africa. Symptoms of the disease include hyperactivity, agitation, hallucinations, paralysis, and cardiorespiratory arrest.
Dog bites are the most common means through which the rabies infection is contracted. Unlike most other viral diseases, the incubation period for rabies takes two to three months. This means people can get vaccinated for up to 12 weeks after they’ve been infected.
Comments