Ebola Gorilla Vaccine Could Prevent Human Outbreak

Ebola The Deadly Virus

In a podcast on today 13^th Oct 2014 on Scientific America by David Biello, stating the possibility of preventing Ebola outbreaks in Human by vaccinating Gorilla against Ebola. The first line of statement is little odd but on continue listening, I understood the meaning behind the statement.

Vaccination For Ebola

Humans are not only the victim of deadly Ebola virus. Chimps and Gorillas are also susceptible to the disease.  He stated that, the current Ebola epidemic may have started with the butchering of an infected          fruit bat.  But we cannot avoid the possibility from Chimpanzee, which found dead in the forest and eaten by people, who cannot afford to pass up a free meat.

Connection Between Ebola And Apes

Ebola has killed thousands of great apes. Some 95 percent of gorillas who become infected die. Several previous outbreaks of Ebola in central Africa stemmed from dead gorillas or chimps found in the forest and butchered for food. All it takes to start an epidemic is infected blood getting in a person’s eye, mouth or open wound.

That's why veterinarians from the Wildlife Conservation Society and other conservation organizations may prove to be the front line for defending humans against Ebola.

  

Like their physician counterparts, vets are hoping to develop a vaccine, perhaps to be administered orally. At the very least, monitoring Ebola outbreaks in apes could provide early warning for potential human outbreaks. By saving the apes we may be saving ourselves.