Introduction: Ebola virus and Marburg virus are related viruses that cause hemorrhagic fevers — illnesses marked by severe bleeding (hemorrhage), organ failure and, in many cases, death. Both viruses are native to Africa, where sporadic outbreaks have occurred for decades. The Ebola virus and Marburg viruses live in animal hosts, and humans can contract the viruses from infected animals. After the initial transmission, the viruses can spread from person to person through contact with body fluids or contaminated needles.
No conventional drug has been approved to treat either virus. People diagnosed with Ebola or Marburg virus receive supportive care and treatment for complications. Scientists are coming closer to developing vaccines for these deadly diseases. However vaccines do not enhance general immunity, while homeopathic preventive remedies have proved their high efficacy in epidemic situations such as Japanese encephalitis in India.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention monitors the United States for conditions such as Ebola infection, and its labs can test for the Ebola virus.
Symptoms and signs: The symptoms are classified into two categories;
- According to some sources the incubation period is 5-10 days and according to others 2 to 21 days. The symptoms are as follows:
High and constant fever, headache, joint and muscle aches, sore throat, general weakness or lassitude, Stomach pain, diarrhea that can be bloody and lack of appetite. These symptoms usually lead us to diagnosis of influenza, thus we miss the correct diagnosis allowing spreading of the disease.
- As the disease gets worse, it causes bleeding inside the body, as well as from the eyes, ears, and nose. Some people will vomit or cough up blood, have bloody diarrhea, and get a rash.
Ebola virus has been found in African monkeys, chimps and other nonhuman primates. A milder strain of Ebola has been discovered in monkeys and pigs in the Philippines. Marburg virus has been found in monkeys, chimps and fruit bats in Africa.
- Conventional Treatments and drugs
No antiviral medications have proved effective in treating infection with either virus. Supportive hospital care includes:
Providing fluids
Maintaining blood pressure
Providing oxygen as needed
Replacing lost blood
Treating other infections that develop
- Preventive measures
Prevention focuses on avoiding contact with the viruses. The following precautions can help prevent infection and spread of Ebola and Marburg.
Avoid areas of known outbreaks. Before traveling to Africa, find out about current epidemics by checking the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
Wash your hands frequently. As with other infectious diseases, one of the most important preventive measures is frequent hand-washing. Use soap and water, or use alcohol-based hand rubs containing at least 60 percent alcohol when soap and water aren’t available.
Avoid bush meat. In developing countries, avoid buying or eating the wild animals, including nonhuman primates, sold in local markets.
Avoid contact with infected people. In particular, caregivers should avoid contact with the person’s body fluids and tissues, including blood, semen, vaginal secretions and saliva. People with Ebola or Marburg are most contagious in the later stages of the disease.
- Transmission from animals to humans
Experts suspect that both viruses are transmitted to humans through an infected animal’s bodily fluids. Examples include:
Blood. Butchering or eating infected animals can spread the viruses. Scientists who have operated on infected animals as part of their research have also contracted the virus.
Waste products. Tourists in certain African caves and some underground mine workers have been infected with the Marburg virus, possibly through contact with the feces or urine of infected people and transmission from person to person
Infected people typically don’t become contagious until they develop symptoms. Family members are often infected as they care for sick relatives or prepare the dead for burial.
Medical personnel can be infected if they don’t use protective gear, such as surgical masks and gloves. Medical centers in Africa are often so poor that they must reuse needles and syringes. Some of the worst Ebola epidemics have occurred because contaminated injection equipment wasn’t sterilized between uses.
There’s no evidence that Ebola virus or Marburg virus can be spread via insect bites.
Suggested homeopathic remedies:
Considering the objective symptoms of patients after the incubation period the following rubrics were selected and repertorized with Radar:
NOSE – EPISTAXIS
EYE – BLEEDING from eyes
EAR – DISCHARGES – blood
RECTUM – HEMORRHAGE from anus
STOMACH – VOMITING; TYPE OF – blood
GENERALS – WEAKNESS – fever – during
SKIN – ERUPTIONS – petechiae
Analysis of the rubrics:
Vithoulkas Expert System : So far the best probability is Crot. horridus with 397.2 points with confidence rating of 81 points.
It continues; also consider Bothrops and Arnica. According to horizontal analysis and graphical analysis the first three remedies are: Phosphorus Crot. horridus and Arnica
Homeopathic preventive measures
Considering evidence based researches and studies in Cuba, India, Africa, prescribing proper remedies with 200 C potency leads to increased immune cells that empower us against infections such as Japanese encephalitis. The use of Belladonna 200 C in preventing Leptospirosis in Cuba is documented on the PUB-MED website.
According to the PUB-MED published in 2010: “A homeoprophylactic formulation was prepared from dilutions of four circulating strains of Leptospirosis. This formulation was administered orally to 2.3 million persons at high risk in an epidemic in a region affected by natural disasters. The data from surveillance were used to measure the impact of the intervention by comparing with historical trends and non-intervention regions.
After the homeoprophylactic (HP) intervention a significant decrease of the disease incidence was observed in the intervention regions. No such modifications were observed in non-intervention regions. In the intervention region the incidence of Leptospirosis fell below the historic median. This observation was independent of rainfall.
The homeoprophylactic approach was associated with a large reduction of disease incidence and control of the epidemic. The results suggest the use of HP as a feasible tool for epidemic control, further research is warranted.
Conclusion: While there is no definite medicine to treat patients with Ebola viral infection and supportive care measures help them, I suggest LM potencies of Crot. horridus, as the 1st choice remedy and Bothrops, Arnica and Phosphorus as the 2nd line remedies to cure patients in the incubation period and in the hemorrhagic phase of the disease. It is also suggested to be used in 200 C potency as a homeoprophylactic procedure in the people of the African countries or other countries that are facing the epidemic condition.
Sources:
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20674839
- Radar diagnostic software
- Organon of Medicine 6th edition by Dr.Samuel Hahnemann
Dear Dr. Sadeghi,
Many thanks for your article.
You, indeed, make a very sound and convincing case. I dream of WHO, in conjunction with LMHI, conducting studies to test out your hypothesis. I say ‘dream’ studiedly, being aware of the enormous prejudice of the establishment against homeopathy.
Interestingly, in her interview, published in this very issue, Dr. Medha Durge speaks of her efficacious use of Crotalus to treat Ebola victims. That is a substantiation of some of what you have argued.
Regards and best wishes,
Ravindra Joshi
Dear Dr.Ravindra Joshi
Thank you very much for your encouraging comment. I hope our dream come true to show the efficacy of homeopathic remedies in preventing Ebola and treating affected people.
Best Wishes, Sadeghi
The drug s suggestsuggested will certainly help us in treatment
Dear BNRAO
Thank you for your comment. I suggest my dear colleagues who go to Liberia or other affected countries to report their findings to add to our experiences.
Warm Regards,
Dr.Sadeghi