Written by Hannah Segal and Edited by Olivia Cooper
Between the years of 2014-2016, a global epidemic emerged from the rural setting of sub-Saharan Africa and spread to urban areas and other countries within months [1]. The epidemic involved the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), which occurs in humans and non-human primates [2]. In order for one to contract EVD, one must come into direct contact with an EVD-infected animal or person, dead or alive. Direct contact occurs when a person touches body fluids, blood, tissues, or other material from infected humans or animals, and the virus then travels via broken/cracked skin, eyes, nose, or mouth [2].
Furthermore, in a molecular study with blood samples from Ebola patients in Sierra Leone, a scientific team led by the University of Wisconsin-Madison identified biomarkers, indicators of EVD that may aid in future treatment efforts. This study demonstrated that levels of two biomarkers, L-threonine (an amino acid) and a Vitamin D-binding protein, correlated to a patient’s chance of survival [3]. Vitamin D is produced by the body as a response to the skin’s exposure to sunlight; it also occurs naturally in a few foods, such as fish, eggs, and grain products. The vitamin is known to play a role in the prevention and/or treatment of certain conditions, including hypertension, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes [4]. Many factors can contribute to a Vitamin D deficiency, such as limited exposure to sunlight and not consuming recommended amounts over time [4]. Those with darker skin may also experience Vitamin D deficiency, since the increased amount of melanin, which colors the skin, limits the production [4].
Likewise, pro-inflammatory pathways, immune responses that promote inflammation and decrease the body’s healing processes, can be suppressed with Vitamin D; in other words, Vitamin D helps enable regulators of host responses to fight infections [3][5]. The Wisconsin-Madison scientific teams injected these biomarkers in Ebola patients to track and record their Vitamin D levels in accordance with EVD infection [3]. If both biomarkers, L-threonine and a Vitamin D-binding protein, which suppress inflammatory pathways, did not have a significant presence, it was said that the patient’s chances at survival were likely very low [3]. All-in-all, though healthy levels of Vitamin D can decrease the likelihood of contracting Ebola, it is not a cure. Nonetheless, it may play an important role in preventing the progression of EVD in those infected.
References:
- “History of Ebola Virus Disease” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018, https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/history/summaries.html. Accessed 13 Nov. 2020.
- “Ebola (Ebola Virus Disease)”. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019, https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/index.html. Accessed 6 Nov. 2020.
- Eisfeld, A.J., Halfmann, P.J., Wendler, J.P., Kyle, J.E., Burnum-Johnson, K.E., Peralta, Z., Maemura, T., Walter, K.B., Watanabe, T., Fukuyama, S., Yamashita, M., Jacobs, J.M., Kim, Y., Casey, C.P, Stratton, K.G., Webb-Robertson, B.M., Gritsenko, M.A., Monroe, M.E., Weitz, K.K., Shukla, A.K., Tian, M., Neumann, G., Reed, J.L., Bakel, H., Metz, T.O., Smith, R.D., Waters, K.M., N’jai, A., Sahr, F., Kawaoka, Y. (2017). Multi-platform ’Omics Analysis of Human Ebola Virus Disease Pathogenesis. Cell Host & Microbe, 22: 817-829.
- “Vitamin D Deficiency”. WEBMD, Nourish, https://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/vitamin-d-deficiency#1. Accessed November 6, 2020.
- Ververs, M., Gabra, M. (2020). Nutritional Care for Patients with Ebola Virus Disease. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 26:20-25.