Ebola virus: Why has no cure?

Ebola virus disease is a threat to the whole world not only because of the rapid spread and high mortality rate, but also because we do not have cure.

Ebola virus first appeared more than three decades ago, but so far there has been no cure or cure for this disease. According to experts, Ebola virus is one of the most dangerous viruses today, not only because of the high rate of death caused by it, but also because of the special nature of this virus that makes doctors The doctor is very difficult in research and treatment.

Currently, people infected with Ebola virus are only treated according to general therapies, which means only support patients to fight the disease. People infected with Ebola virus will often be transplanted (because the body is dehydrated), plus treatments to maintain blood pressure and oxygen levels, can treat infections if the blisters on the skin are ulcerated .

So why don't we have a more specific treatment for Ebola?

Part of the reason is that the Ebola epidemic is caused by a virus, not a common bacterium . Previous scientists were also very difficult to find treatments for the diseases that viruses cause, compared to bacterial diseases, Derek Gatherer - a biologist at Lancaster University. in the UK, specializing in genetics and virus research.

'Antiviral therapy has lagged far behind antimicrobial therapies for many decades , ' Gatherer added: 'that's because the virus is a small cell, producing only one. Very small amount of protein. So there is little 'goal' for scientists to study and treat. " Therefore, it is very difficult to find a vaccine that can fight the Ebola virus. Even if there is one type. vaccines are prepared and introduced into the body, so our immune system cannot recognize their existence.

Ebola virus also has a very fast growth rate, so no vaccine can afford to prevent a spreading and spreading disease. Also because of its dangerous nature, with mortality rates as high as 90%, researchers have to work with Ebola virus at special facilities, fully equipped with protective equipment and not where Also, plus the limited number of tests that can be conducted. Making research and finding treatments difficult and prolonged.

'Only a few places in the world have enough facilities to conduct research on Ebola virus. Ebola virus requires the laboratory to have the highest level of biosecurity, the highest level of protection, ' Gatherer said.

Besides, there are quite a few people who have ever been infected with Ebola virus, or even very few infected but survived. Causing the study of the development and complications of this virus on human bodies is very difficult. In addition, a very high mortality rate makes it difficult for scientists to determine which biological factors can help patients fight the Ebola virus attack.

When infected with Ebola virus, it will attack the patient's immune system, causing small blood vessels to rupture, many cells become inflamed by infection. Vascular damage can lead to decreased blood pressure and multiple organ failure, which weakens the internal organs. Cases of Ebola infection are mostly caused by contact with infected animals, or contact with body fluids of infected people such as blood and sputum. The initial symptoms are fever, muscle aches, headache, vomiting, diarrhea and rash, according to WHO.

A number of Ebola treatments that promise to be effective have been tested in laboratory animals, including measures to use compounds that interfere with viral reproduction. Another experimental treatment is to prevent viruses from contacting cells in the body, by blocking the cell surface proteins that the virus binds to. In an experiment not long ago, 4 monkeys in the laboratory survived the infection with the Ebola virus. Thanks to the injection of virus antibodies from mice, it is possible to prevent infection.