What Factors Might Have Led to the Emergence of Ebola in West Africa?

Abstract

An Ebola outbreak of unprecedented scope emerged in West Africa in December 2013 and presently continues unabated in the countries of Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. Ebola is not new to Africa, and outbreaks have been confirmed as far back as 1976. The current West African Ebola outbreak is the largest ever recorded and differs dramatically from prior outbreaks in its duration, number of people affected, and geographic extent. The emergence of this deadly disease in West Africa invites many questions, foremost among these: why now, and why in West Africa? Here, we review the sociological, ecological, and environmental drivers that might have influenced the emergence of Ebola in this region of Africa and its spread throughout the region. Containment of the West African Ebola outbreak is the most pressing, immediate need. A comprehensive assessment of the drivers of Ebola emergence and sustained human-to-human transmission is also needed in order to prepare other countries for importation or emergence of this disease. Such assessment includes identification of country-level protocols and interagency policies for outbreak detection and rapid response, increased understanding of cultural and traditional risk factors within and between nations, delivery of culturally embedded public health education, and regional coordination and collaboration, particularly with governments and health ministries throughout Africa. Public health education is also urgently needed in countries outside of Africa in order to ensure that risk is properly understood and public concerns do not escalate unnecessarily. To prevent future outbreaks, coordinated, multiscale, early warning systems should be developed that make full use of these integrated assessments, partner with local communities in high-risk areas, and provide clearly defined response recommendations specific to the needs of each community.

Globalisation and Ebola disease: Implications for business activities in Nigeria

“…During the turbulent times caused by Ebola virus disease, discrimination was believed to be the reasons why developed countries didn"t want to give vaccines (though half finished, some school of thoughts believed that they should be sent to the affected countries) (Oleribe et al, 2015;Molokwu, 2015) as the this was not the case as when the reasons for the seclusion of personnel and other human interaction was immensely necessary (Alexander et al, 2015). It could be stated that the survival of the national interest was based on being a paramount issue against all other cases (Public Health England, 2014; Tambo et al, 2016).…”

“…During the Ebola outbreak in Liberia, some of the populace assumed it was a government scam. This showed the failure of governance (Alexander et al, 2015). Those who survived the deadly epidemic are considered a threat on the confirmation that the male semen could be infectious three months after the being diagnosed with the virus (World Health Organization, 2014;Bausch et al, 2007).…”

“…There is a need to welcome the old ways of community participation which when combined with health education and deployment of effective novel diagnostic approaches will aid in early warning and surveillance of threats and emerging diseases (Kinsman, 2012;Tambo et al, 2016). This can be reprogrammed via the development of strategically measures in curbing the viral resurgence, persistence transmission dynamics, spread and accelerating vaccines regimen (immunization) development, which comes with implementation of restructuring plans in achieving sustained control, and eventual elimination in foreseen objective (Tavernise (2014;Fasina et al, 2015;Alexander et al, 2015;Carroll et al, 2015;Jasovský et al, 2016).…”

“…Affirming a case to be the first cause or known outbreak is a herculean task but following the documented history of the ten plagues on the Egyptians according to the biblical records in the book of Exodus in the Bible (Exodus chapter 4-13) will be adopted. in reference to what we term as a disease, the plague of boils on all living things will be the first epidemic disease (Exodus 9 vs 9), using the medieval times as a record timing of epidemic occurrence, we could settle down for Chinese plague which was recorded in 224 B.C (David and Ann, 2002;Infoplease, 2015;Emond et al, 1977;Rodriguez et al, 1995;Rowe et al, 1999;Alexander et al, 2015) though the bubonic plague which is also known as the black death is regarded as one with the most significant outbreak which occurred in the fourteenth century, precisely 1347 to 1352, with a tag of twenty-five million lives paying for it (Infoplease, 2015). This huge number of casualties must have caused trauma to the European continent during that era as David and Ann (2002) recorded that the plague affected both people and rodents.…”

Future directions for public health research in emerging infectious diseases

“…7 Models of what drives Ebola virus emergence and sustains human-to-human transmission have now been developed and serve as a template for predicting future disease incursions. 8 Understanding microbial emergence and spread is critical to effective public health programs. This can be achieved by examining the pathogen itself (e.g.…”