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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Fachliteratur
- Sprache: Englisch
Differentiate the truths from the myths on Ebola With the Ebola crisis continuing to mount globally, it's only natural to want to take measures to increase your protection from contracting this virus. But there's a difference between being informed and going into panic mode--and that's where this no-frills guide comes in. Ebola Myths & Facts For Dummies is your tried-and-true resource on understanding the facts about Ebola, including its history, how it's spread, signs and symptoms, and the claims about Ebola that simply aren't true. What started off in Africa has now slowly started making its presence felt in the Western world, and many of us are left wondering if it'll end up in our own backyards. Brought to you by an infectious disease specialist, Ebola Myths & Facts For Dummies delivers the most up-to-date, important information on Ebola. * Understand the history of Ebola * Learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of Ebola * Debunk the myths and concentrate on the facts * Help support the fight against Ebola If you're looking for accurate and concise information about the Ebola virus, Ebola Myths & Facts For Dummies offers the latest, most trusted information on how it's spread, symptoms to look for, and ways to protect yourself and loved ones against infection.
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Seitenzahl: 185
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014
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Ebola Myths & Facts For Dummies®
Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2015 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
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All photos printed courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Public Health Image Library http://phil.cdc.gov/phil/home.asp.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2014957355
ISBN: 978-1-119-06622-4
ISBN 978-1-119-06622-4 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-06621-7 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-119-06626-2 (ebk)
Manufactured in the United States of America
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Ebola Myths & Facts For Dummies®
Visit www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/ebolamythsandfacts to view this book's cheat sheet.
Table of Contents
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part I: Getting Started with Ebola Myths & Facts
Chapter 1: The Lowdown on Ebola
Answering the 5 Ws and 1 H About Ebola
Grasping what Ebola is
Understanding who Ebola affects the most
Eyeing where Ebola makes its mark
Knowing when Ebola became a concern
Comprehending why Ebola is a global concern
Examining how Ebola is transmitted
Noticing the Symptoms
Arming Yourself: Prevention Is Key
What to do if you’re a healthcare worker
What society can do
Testing for Ebola
Undergoing Treatment
Making a Recovery
Looking at the Future of Ebola
Eyeing West Africa: At most risk
Providing help
Chapter 2: Examining the Science and History of Ebola
Knowing What a Virus Is
Discovering Ebola
Identifying the five species of Ebola
Eyeing the outbreaks
Understanding How Ebola Works
Explaining the Biosafety Level of Ebola
Chapter 3: Taking a Closer Look at the 2014 Outbreak
Eyeing Ground Zero: West Africa
Identifying the affected countries
Discovering why Ebola has spread so far and fast in West Africa
Focusing on the United States and Western Europe
United States
Spain
Other European countries
Managing and Responding to the Current Outbreak
World Health Organization (WHO)
United Nations (UN)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
State and local government/health officials
Walking the Line between Valid Concern and Hysteria
Common symptoms
Novelty
Media
Travel
Part II: Keeping Yourself Safe and Healthy
Chapter 4: Considering Modes of Transmission and Prevention Methods
Seeing How Ebola Is Transmitted
Human-to-human contact with body fluids
Droplets
Contaminated syringes and medical waste
Funeral/burial traditions and other beliefs
Bush meat
Taking Precautions to Prevent Contracting Ebola
On an individual level
On a society level
Using Public Education as a Prevention Tool
Comprehending Special Prevention Measures For Healthcare Workers
Identify, isolate, inform
Using personal protective equipment (PPE)
Following good hygiene
Cleaning and maintaining work surfaces
Disposing properly of human remains and medical waste
Post-return quarantining, isolating, and monitoring
Chapter 5: Receiving a Diagnosis and Undergoing Treatment
Recognizing the Symptoms
Knowing What to Do If You Think You or Someone Has Ebola
Identifying Everyone with Whom the Patient Has Had Contact
Testing and Diagnosing
Polymerase chain reaction test
Antigen-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
Figuring Out the Politics behind Vaccines
Considering Treatments
Seeing the standard treatment
Eyeing the experimental treatment
Recovering from Ebola
Preparing for Post-Ebola Life
Part III: Looking at Today and into the Future
Chapter 6: Eyeing the Geopolitical Outlook and Impact
Criticizing the WHO’s Response to the 2014 Outbreak
Looking At the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response
Examining CDC’s Response
Understand Why Humanitarian Aid Has Been Delayed
Funding
Healthcare workers
Other volunteers
Mobile labs/mini hospitals
Food and supplies
Air transport
Space
Education and outreach
How the Outbreak Has Impacted the Area and World
Children
Travel
Agriculture
Economy
Trade
Chapter 7: Just For Healthcare Workers: What You Need to Know
Planning before Your Trip
Being Precautious during Your Trip
Wearing the right gear: personal protective equipment (PPE)
Identifying and isolating patients
Preventing further infection
Identifying, isolating, and informing
Properly disposing of human remains
Knowing what to do if you get sick
Taking Actions after Your Trip
Traveling on a jet plane
Returning to your humble abode
Part IV: The Part of Tens
Chapter 8: Ten Myths Clearly Busted about Ebola
Ebola Is Highly Contagious
Ebola Has a Cure and a Vaccine
Ebola Is a Death Sentence
Anyone Who Has Ebola Symptoms Should Be Isolated
The United States Isn’t Ready
Ebola Is the World’s Biggest Public Health Threat
You Need a Special Substance to Kill the Ebola Virus
Bringing Ebola Patients to the United States Puts You at Risk
Ebola Liquefies Your Organs, Which Causes the Bleeding
This Current Outbreak Is Unusually Strong and Deadly
Chapter 9: Ten Organizations That Are Helping Fight Ebola
Partners in Health
Save the Children
Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)
CDC Foundation
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Americares
CARE
UNICEF
Emergency USA
GlobalGiving’s Ebola Relief Fund
Chapter 10: Ten Global Health Threats in Addition to Ebola
Influenza
Antibiotic Resistance
Measles
Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis
Congenital Syphilis
Malaria
Helminths
HIV/AIDS
Polio
Chagas Disease
About the Author
Cheat Sheet
Guide
Table of Contents
Begin Reading
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Introduction
Ebola.
It’s on most people’s minds to varying degrees. Some people watch the news coverage and wonder what it all means. You’ve probably seen the devastation in West Africa and wonder how it could have happened so fast and when it will end. You’ve seen cases come overseas into the United States, and you ask if the United States (and possibly Canada and Western Europe) is next for a big outbreak. Some people are seeing new policies at work and in public places as a result of a heightened public awareness. You may even be right in the thick of things, battling on the front lines to stop the current outbreak in West Africa from getting worse and doing what you can to help the people who need it most.
Once upon a time a public health emergency in West Africa may have felt far away, remote, and not applicable to you. But in today’s global society — with technology and mass travel and family members and friends spread out in all directions — an emergency anywhere can feel like it’s right in your own backyard.
Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, chances are good that Ebola has somehow impacted your life, even if it’s just to prompt your curiosity to know more about this virus and outbreak — and maybe even public health in general.
This outbreak is a scary yet fascinating experience. The Ebola outbreak of 2014 is unprecedented, and the world is trying to figure out how to respond together. From providing care on the front lines to educating communities to examining world health policy, the outbreak is a complex issue to make sense of and do something about. Science, history, and politics have intersected, and it’s everyone’s job to discover as much as possible to help stop the crisis in West Africa, keep everyone safe and sound all across the world — at home and abroad — and move forward as a world united with a mission to prevent something like this outbreak in the future.
About This Book
People are trying to process what’s happening, and what they can and should do about it. Reading Ebola Myths & Facts For Dummies is a good start. It contains no hype, no spin. It’s just the facts, ma’am (or sir), and it’s meant to give you a thorough, yet easy-to-understand guide.
It presents the basics (like how you can prevent yourself from getting Ebola), and also touches on some of the more layered issues, such as the ways different countries have responded to this outbreak. It does this all in plain English, sharing as much factual information as possible, rather than going on about my opinions or theories.
This book is a reference tool you can turn to in order to understand whatever particular aspect of Ebola you want. The beauty is that you don’t have to read through the entire book cover to cover to get the information you want. You can simply open to the table of contents, find what you’re looking for, and head directly to that section.
You can expect to find useful reference material such as:
How this virus was discovered and how it led to this outbreak (refer to Chapter 2)How to know if someone has Ebola (head to Chapter 5)What to expect and how to prepare if you’re a health worker heading into the affected areas (check out Chapter 7)A quick rundown of the most common myths busted (flip to Chapter 8)Foolish Assumptions
In order to write something that was clear and helpful, I had to zero in on who I thought would read this book. So even though I never like to assume, I have to admit, I did make a few assumptions here in this book about you as my readers:
You have heard or seen at least something about Ebola in the news or maybe from a friend or co-worker.You have come here to discover the facts on Ebola.You probably aren’t in an affected area right now, but may be in the near future.You care about keeping yourself (and others) safe and healthy.You have a basic understanding of or experience with common illnesses like the flu and colds.Icons Used in This Book
Look for those familiar For Dummies icons to offer visual clues about the kinds of material you’re about to read.
This icon points out some good advice relating to the subject matter you’re reading about. Skimming these icons can give you some good tips to help you navigate the different steps in staying healthy (and helping others do the same)!
The information that you’re reading about and potentially sharing with others can be serious and impactful. I highlight important concepts and facts with this icon. Consider these the “extra-important” paragraphs you’ll want to remember.
This icon points out information that is meant to steer you away from harmful or dangerous situations. Be sure always to read these.
The icon directs you to additional online information about Ebola. You can find it at www.dummies.com/extras/ebolamythsandfacts.
Beyond the Book
In addition to the content of this book, you can access some valuable related material online.
You can read a free Cheat Sheet at www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/ebolamythsandfacts that gives you all the information you want the most in a fast and easy way (like a list of Ebola symptoms and what to do if you think someone you know has it), without having to go through pages and pages of text. Remembering all the facts about Ebola can be difficult, so the cheat sheet is also a great tool to recollect what you read here.
You can also access some additional helpful bits of information at www.dummies.com/extras/ebolamythsandfacts. I cover some extra topics, such as common scenarios from which you can’t contract Ebola and how to fight the stigma of Ebola.
Where to Go from Here
The book is about as modular as you can get with this topic. Each chapter contains a bunch of information and is self-contained, meaning that you don’t have to read one chapter to understand what happens in the next. If there’s something you saw on TV or you only care about how not to catch Ebola, use the table of contents as your guide and skip right to the appropriate chapter to read about it.
Chapter 1 is a great place to start to get your bearings in the book. Suppose you do want to read about the symptoms of Ebola and how to prevent getting it, you can head to Chapter 5. Start with Chapter 3 if you want all the details on the current situation in West Africa. If you’re a healthcare worker who’s heading to an affected area and need to cut right to the chase so you can prepare yourself, go to Chapter 7. And if you want to explore the science and evolution of Ebola, your starting point is Chapter 2.
The easiest way, though, to use the book is to start turning pages and read the content. And because I know that this topic is very important and concerning to many folks, don’t be shy about making notes in the chapters, highlighting information, and putting flags on the pages so you can come back later.
Oh, and one more note: If you’re reading this because you feel ill, put this book down and get thee to a doctor!
Part I
Getting Started with Ebola Myths & Facts
Go to www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/ebolamythsandfacts for a cheat sheet chockfull of content about Ebola, including the common symptoms and modes of transmission.
In this part …
Explore how Ebola was discovered and what scientists have been able to figure out about the virus.Chronicle the historical Ebola outbreaks since its discovery more than 35 years ago and identify the different countries of the world that have had confirmed cases and deaths.Uncover the parts of the world where Ebola affects people and what makes those people the most vulnerable.Examine the 2014 outbreak, including how it started and how it spread so quickly.Chapter 1
The Lowdown on Ebola
In This Chapter
Getting an overview of Ebola
Recognizing the symptoms
Knowing how to protect yourself
Understanding how Ebola is diagnosed and treated
Forecasting the future
This chapter serves as your road map to everything Ebola related. Some of the details about Ebola can be a little confusing or upsetting, but I try to make it as easy as possible to understand what’s happening.
Researchers and scientists are still discovering so much about Ebola (after all, the virus isn’t even 50 years old), but I can promise you that I share with you what is known. Keep in mind that things are changing rapidly because of the current active outbreak. This chapter gives you the basics of Ebola and serves as your jumping-off point.
Answering the 5 Ws and 1 H About Ebola
You may have heard of the 5 Ws of journalism — the who, what, when, where, and why of the story. The H of how usually gets thrown in there, too. The concept is meant to make sure journalists get all the important stuff into a news piece without leaving their audience hanging. These sections answer these questions to make sure that you have all the basic information before diving into all of the many details about Ebola.
Grasping what Ebola is
Ebola is a virus that results in a hemorrhagic fever (which is called Ebola). People can give it to one another, but it isn’t very easy to contract. However, if someone does get it, it can be very serious. If not treated, Ebola causes flulike symptoms at first, then more serious organ failure, which can result in death. Ebola is in the news right now because of a large outbreak in West Africa that has spread slightly onto other continents, including North America.
If you’re interested in the full evolution and behavior of the virus, Chapter 2 has more about the history and science of Ebola.
Understanding who Ebola affects the most
Currently, Ebola affects West Africans in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia — and the healthcare workers taking care of them — the most. These folks are right in the line of Ebola fire every day. They get no break. No reprieve. They’re watching their friends and family members die as they struggle to survive.
Westerners in West Africa who hold different beliefs and cultural traditions than the residents are coordinating and driving a good deal of the humanitarian efforts. It can make a tragic situation even tenser, because aid workers have to be careful not to ostracize community members, but rather care for and work with them.
Many West Africans don’t even believe that Ebola is caused by a virus, but rather a curse or black magic. As a result, when they see doctors in full body protection trying to take them or their loved ones away, they’re upset.
Adding to the distress is knowing that a great number of people who go into the treatment centers don’t make it out alive, leading to a conclusion that the treatment centers are killing patients.
Eyeing where Ebola makes its mark
Although a few cases have sprung up outside of West Africa, by far, the only geographic area of major concern for Ebola right now is in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea, and their immediate neighbors. Chapter 2 takes a closer look at these countries to paint a clearer picture why Ebola has affected so many people there.
But the bigger takeaway here is the importance of a substantial healthcare system in each country, and the value of a worldwide network and plan for responding to health emergencies. This outbreak is happening specifically in these countries because of a lack of sufficient infrastructure to provide the response and education needed to stop it (such as doctors, nurses, and hospitals for treatment; mass media for public health messages; and highways and developed transportation to get help fast). None of the other countries in which Ebola has surfaced has suffered so deeply because they have the resources to combat it.
