Ebola: A Severe Viral Infection from Abroad

Will Ebola spread to Thailand?

It is highly unlikely that Ebola would spread to Thailand. Severe diseases, with a 50% chance of infection causing severe symptoms, make it very improbable that infected individuals would travel by plane or long distances across continents. A disease like COVID-19, which would typically spread globally, would have to be much less severe, such as the flu. For example, someone might be sick in Bangkok today and then in Chiang Mai tomorrow, spreading the infection there. Such a disease can travel long distances to spread rapidly. COVID-19 is similar.

Ebola is a severe viral infectious disease belonging to the viral hemorrhagic fever group. It is caused by a virus in the genus Ebolavirus, family Filoviridae, and has a high mortality rate ranging from 25–90%, depending on the strain and public health system. This disease has been present in wild animals in Africa for hundreds of years.

The disease was named Ebola because it was first detected and isolated on the banks of the Ebola River in the Republic of Congo (1976). Since then, there have been sporadic outbreaks, particularly in rural areas. Ebola has several strains; the Zaire ebolavirus is the most virulent, followed by the Sudan ebolavirus. The largest outbreak occurred between 2013 and 2016 in West Africa, specifically in Guinea, and spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone, affecting approximately 30,000 people and causing 11,000 deaths. This was largely due to the Zaire strain, which led to the development and use of a vaccine against this strain, ultimately bringing the disease under control.

This outbreak, as reported in the news today, has affected the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda. More than 250 cases have been reported, with over 80 deaths. The circulating strain is a moderately virulent variant, the Bundibugyo ebolavirus. Currently, there is no vaccine for this strain.

The primary means of transmission

is direct contact with infected individuals or disease-carrying animals, particularly among indigenous Africans and their traditions of cleaning corpses before ceremonies, which facilitate direct contact.

Each Ebola outbreak typically occurs

in rural areas, is linked to wild animals, has a high rate of hospital-acquired infections, and causes a large number of deaths among healthcare workers due to the severity of the disease and its human-to-human transmission.

Symptoms of Ebola

include sudden high fever, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhea, a rash, and easy internal and external bleeding. The disease is severe and can lead to death within a short period.

The severity of a disease

is a limiting factor that prevents it from spreading widely across countries or continents, which would otherwise lead to a global pandemic.

The World Health Organization emphasizes disease prevention

particularly controlling exposure to infected individuals or reservoirs, and developing vaccines specific to each strain. Currently, there is a vaccine specific to the Zaire strain.

Thailand is relatively far from the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak, and the severity of the disease will be another limiting factor in its spread. Therefore, there is no need for excessive concern at this stage. However, it is essential to provide accurate information and understanding about Ebola.

Source of information: Prof. Dr. Yong Poovorawan, Pediatric Hepatology, Gastroenterology and Viral Diseases, Bangpakok 9 International Hospital.

Note: This article is intended for public health education and references information from external medical sources. These references are not intended to imply that the physicians providing the information are resident physicians or have a practice schedule at Piyavate Hospital.