According to the Minister of Health,
Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, who spoke in Abuja during the Second Emergency
National Council on Health Meeting on the outbreak of Ebola Virus
Disease in the country, “the number of contacts under surveillance
stands at 72 in Lagos, and 199 in Port Harcourt; while the total number
of survivors in Nigeria (as of September 1, 2014) is 11; total number of
deaths in Nigeria (as of September 1, 2014) is six.”
I commend the efforts of all relevant
agencies and the Nigerian people in taking all necessary measures to
fight this deadly disease. However, we need to realise that we cannot be
over informed about Ebola, and a continual review of the virus
prevention strategies cannot be overemphasised.
Here is the myth versus the truth about
some of the most common misconceptions about the animal-to-human
transmission of the Ebola virus:
Myth: Roasting, boiling or frying of bush meat can make it totally free of the Ebola virus
Truth: The Ebola virus
is not too strong, physically. In fact, Ebola can be inactivated by
heating for between 30 minutes and 60 minutes at 60°C, or by boiling for
five minutes. However, eliminating the virus in the meat is not where
it all stops because if care is not taken, meat handling procedures will
re-introduce the microorganism.
Now, let us examine a case study in which
a hunter slaughters a bush meat, puts it in a bucket, takes it home and
cuts it into smaller pieces. After which he subjects the meat to high
heat by roasting. Yes, the roasting process will destroy the virus in
the meat. However, after roasting, the same ‘contaminated’ hand is used
to pick up the meat, hence, a re-introduction of the virus into the
meat. Next, he stores the meat back into the washed but not sterilised
bucket, hence, another source of re-contamination.
Myth: Every bush meat is a source of Ebola
Truth: Not all bush meat is a source of
Ebola. However, every meat of apes, monkeys and bats are a “potential
source” of the Ebola virus. This means that you increase your chances of
being infected by the Ebola virus if you eat bush meat from the above
named animals.
In addition to this, the consumption of
bush meat may be particularly dangerous at this time, as sick animals
might be even more likely to end up in the traps of hunters because they
are slower or might already be dead when they are found. Even in a dead
but infected animal, the virus can survive.
As much as bush meat is an irresistible
delicacy in many cultures all over Nigeria and the world at large, at
this time, great caution should be taken prior to eating, or when
handling these animals. In addition, please remember that the disease is
not only spread by eating the meat but largely by coming into
contamination with the fluid therein.
Myth: All monkeys harbour the Ebola virus
Truth: Not all monkeys
that you see are infected with, or harbour the Ebola virus. However, the
close evolutionary relationship between humans, chimpanzees and
gorillas makes their immune systems very similar to ours. The same way
humans can get infected with Ebola is the same way monkeys and other
primates get infected too. Not all the humans you see have Ebola, so not
all the monkeys you see are positive for the Ebola virus.
If you owned a pet monkey before the
recent Ebola outbreak, I do not discourage you to continue to keep it.
However, I advise that you do not take it to public places so as to
reduce its risk of contacting the Ebola virus or stirring up any civil
disturbances. In addition to this, I urge you to ensure that the
environment where your monkey is kept is properly sanitised with
solutions containing sodium hypochlorite. Also, ensure that any fruit
fed to it is properly cleaned and sourced from hygienic sources.
Myth: Dogs can carry Ebola
Truth: Human infections
to date have not been linked to dogs. The risky activities that lead to
human infections are direct contact with infected human body fluids, or
through bats or consumption of infected wild meat. However, some studies
have shown that dogs may experience asymptomatic Ebola infections. That
means, while they can be carriers of Ebola, they won’t present any of
the signs and will therefore remain unaffected by the condition (that
is, they may have the virus in their bodies but do not get sick).
Dogs are likely to contract Ebola as a
result of eating or coming in contact with an infected animal, likely a
fruit bat or a mouse. If your dog is notorious for bringing home little
“presents”, it may be a good idea to keep a closer eye on it. The fact
that they can be carriers means that they are able to pass the virus on
to us, which could present a problem. The odds that you would eat a
fruit bat are very low, but the odds that your dog would lick your face
after eating a fruit bat are much higher.
Have a blessed weekend.
