BIO 118 Exam 4-Ebola

What is the primary mode of transmission in the 1976 Yambuku outbreak?

Extensive reuse of syringes without sterilization.

What presumptive diagnosis is often given to early Ebola victims in Africa?

Malaria, because it is endemic to the area.

How did Ebola get its name?

It was named after a local river for political reasons, rather than the village where it was isolated.

What was the mortality rate in the 1976 Zaire outbreak?

Nearly 90%.

How did the Sudan ebolavirus differ from the Zaire strain in the lab?

It was much more difficult to infect cells or animals and had a lower mortality rate.

What is the significance of "Ebola Reston" discovered in Virginia?

It was 100% fatal for monkeys but did not cause illness in humans.

Where was the source of the infected monkeys in the Reston, Virginia incident?

The Philippines.

What factors transformed the 2013-2016 West African outbreak into a multinational epidemic?

A good transportation system, proximity to large population centers, and poverty.

Who was the first person infected in the 2013 West African epidemic?

A young boy in rural Guinea, likely infected by a bat.

Why was the initial response to the West African epidemic so slow?

Ebola had never been seen in West Africa before, so early deaths were attributed to other endemic causes.

How long did it take the WHO to declare the West African epidemic a global concern?

More than six months after the first official report.

What role did traditional burial practices play in transmission?

They contributed to person-to-person transmission through contact with bodily fluids.

What are the three reasons large bureaucracies like the WHO often fail?

Rigidity, political worries, and funding priorities.

Which organization is the archetype for NGOs in the Ebola response?

Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders).

What was the "Typhoid Mary" comparison in the US Ebola experience?

It referred to the vilification and quarantine of health workers like Kaci Hicox.

True or False: Ebola can be spread by someone who does not have a fever?

False

Who was Peter Piot?

A scientist at the ITM who helped isolate the virus in 1976 and later became a leader in AIDS research.

What is the "VHF" most similar to Ebola in structure and lethality?

Marburg virus.

What is the common name for Dengue fever due to its symptoms?

Break bone fever.

How is Dengue fever transmitted?

Through mosquitoes, not human-to-human contact.

What is unique about a second infection with a different strain of Dengue?

It leads to a much more serious hemorrhagic fever similar to Ebola.

How are Hanta virus and Lassa Fever typically transmitted to humans?

Through inhalation or ingestion of rodent feces.

What was the effectiveness of the experimental Ebola vaccine in 2019?

Approximately 97%.

From a population view, why is Influenza considered "worse" than Ebola?

It is highly infectious and harder to track because it spreads before symptoms appear.

How long are male survivors advised to avoid unprotected sex?

At least six months, or until semen is confirmed free of the virus.