#zmapp

          Empty, puffy eyes sit wide open as the baby’s small body begins to shake. Across the village, a mother is sobbing over her child’s corpse being wrapped in cloth for burial. At the cemetery, helpless mothers are being escorted from their children’s funerals.  West African countries such as Sierra Leone and Guinea have been hit hard by Ebola, a virus that is spread from animals to humans and can only be spread through bodily fluids. This disease is also referred to as the “hemorrhagic fever,” causing pain in the body, gastrointestinal problems, redness of the eyes, headaches, sore throat, mental confusion, red spots on the skin, and death.

          Although there is no definite cure, there is a drug that has been created to stop Ebola, called ZMapp, an idea from a San Diego company called Mapp Biopharmaceutical. The drug was created by a Canadian Microbiology lab funded by the Canadian government and takes 6 weeks to make from tobacco. It goes through a separate process to create what could be known as the “Ebola cure”. The creation of ZMapp uses 6000 lbs of new tobacco for each vial of the drug. The tobacco is grown for 24 days, then harvested and pressed into a liquid, creating antibodies that are used multiple times. In 2014, ZMapp cured the first Ebola victim, American doctor Dr.Kent Brantly, who was serving as a doctor for Ebola victims in Sierra Leone when he contracted the disease. Before ZMapp cured Dr. Brantly, there was only enough ZMapp to start a small trial in Liberia.

          Dr. Brantley experienced side effects such as his body shaking violently and worsening breathing, but after the first hour, his breathing improved, and the shaking stopped. After 2-3 hours on the drug, he "was able to get up and walk to the bathroom" (Simon).

          Although ZMapp has cured patients, it isn’t being widely produced because it is made by a workforce of nine, and the process takes six weeks.  ZMapp still needs a randomized trial to make sure it fully works. The drug is still being used as a temporary vaccine for the disease in certain countries as scientists try to figure out more ways to mass produce it.

                                                Works Cited

Simon, Bob. "ZMapp and the Fight against Ebola." CBSNews. CBS Interactive,

Russian scientists develop vaccine for Ebola

Vaccine to help combat deadly Ebola that has engulfed West African countries of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia could soon be a reality. A team of Russian researchers has developed a vaccine against the deadly Ebola virus and its trials are due to be completed in February, officials said Monday.

The scientists belong to St. Petersburg`s Research Institute of Influenza.

“The vaccine against Ebola…

Учени установиха уязвимите зони на вируса ебола

Учени идентифицираха с помощта на 3D изображение уязвимите  зони на вируса ебола, върху които действа ZMapp, експериментален коктейл от антитела, който може да помогне на някои болни да оздравеят, съобщава Франс прес, позовавайки се на американско изследване.

Според това изследване 3D изображенията посочват точното  място, където вирусът може да бъде атакуван с антитела и други медикаменти.

“Сега…

'The World Health Organization hoped to have a vaccine by November, but even if  ZMapp  can be available by the target date, supplies will be insufficient to meet requirements. However, the Times of Israel reports that Protalix can step in and produce as much ZMapp as is needed. '

Dear Mapp Pharamceuticals,

Not that your drug ZMapp needs any marketing to sell, but I thought I would take a stab at some more reassuring names that I hope you like: