The most fatal assassins on this earth are too small to see with the bare eye. These microscopic predators are called viruses. Viruses vary and are found in virtually all parts of the earth. Viruses infect nearly every form of life ranging from unicellular organisms to human beings. First, it is important to know what exactly a virus is. A virus is a small pod made of lipid membranes surrounding certain proteins. This little capsule holds usually one or two strands of either RNA (Ribonucleic Acid) or DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid). DNA and RNA are lengthy molecules, which have genetic codes or information. This is a distinguishing feature of viruses in relation to the host, which has both DNA and RNA. The virus has only one obligation - to duplicate. The Ebola virus is a member of the negative stranded RNA viruses known as filoviruses. It is a fast multiplier and is deadly. Since the 2014 outbreak, questions and concerns have been raised about general information of the Ebola virus: "What is Ebola and where does is come from?", "How is it transmitted and, what are the symptoms?", and "How is it prevented and treated?" The deadly virus Ebola is killing thousands of innocent people worldwide, but there are some simple steps that are being taken to prevent this coming tide of death.
The Ebola virus disease (EVD) was once identified as Ebola hemorrhagic fever. It is a severe illness and is often a fatal illness in humans. EVD causes a severe and very serious illness which is often terminal if left untreated. The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission. EVD first appeared in 1976. There were two concurrent outbreaks. One appearance occurred in Nzara, Sudan, while the other settled in Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo. (WHO, 2014) The disease then happened in a village near the Ebola River, thus explains how the disease takes its name.
