What is the Ebola virus?

The Ebola virus belongs to the so far little researched and dangerous viruses whose infection is associated with a high death rate. like conjunctivitis and develops a characteristic rise and fall in body temperature only after about a week. This leads to reddening of the skin similar to a rash and finally to an infection of the body’s own defence cells as well as to massive blood loss, as the body’s own blood vessels lose their tightness. At present, only the symptoms can be treated; a systematic therapy to combat the virus in the form of medication or a vaccination is not yet available.

What is the RS virus?

The respiratory syncytical virus (RSV) is a cause of respiratory diseases, especially in children. The virus usually leads to epedemic outbreaks worldwide in late autumn. It mainly affects the upper respiratory tract, but in particularly severe cases it can also reach the lungs, where it can lead to lung or pleural inflammation.

In the vast majority of cases, however, only the throat and bronchi are affected. Sometimes an inflammation of the middle ear may also occur. The viruses cause slight cell death of the tracheal cells and, in the worst case, can clog them with degradation products or the mucus produced, which leads to breathing difficulties.

The respiratory diseases mentioned above mainly occur in small children up to the age of three. After this time, almost 100% have formed antibodies against the virus, so that the infections only occur as a mild cough or slight irritation of the throat. The treatment is currently still symptomatic.

One tries to loosen the mucus in the bronchial tubes and to cure any inflammation that may develop. The elimination of the virus, however, is left to the body’s own defenses. In very rare cases and if the course of the disease is severe, a so-called antiviral agent can be used. You will find everything on this topic in our article: The RS- Virus