Ebola
Ebola hemorrhagic fever is caused by a virus. It is a severe and often fatal disease. It
can affect humans and other primates. Researchers believe that the virus first spreads
from an infected animal to a human. It can then spread from human to human through
direct contact with a patient's blood or secretions.
Symptoms of Ebola may appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days after exposure to the
virus. Symptoms usually include
• Fever
• Headache
• Joint and muscle aches
• Weakness
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Stomach pain
• Lack of appetite
Other symptoms including rash, red eyes, and internal and external bleeding, may also
occur.
The early symptoms of Ebola are similar to other, more common, diseases. This
makes it difficult to diagnose Ebola in someone who has been infected for only a few
days. However, if a person has the early symptoms of Ebola and there is reason to
suspect Ebola, the patient should be isolated. It is also important to notify public health
professionals. Lab tests can confirm whether the patient has Ebola.
There is no cure for Ebola. Treatment involves supportive care such as fluids, oxygen,
and treatment of complications. Some people who get Ebola are able to recover, but
many do not. (1)
See also: Viral hemorrhagic fever.
Ebola virus as a possible weapon for bioterrorism (category A). However, the General
Accounting Office, the investigative arm of the US Congress, in a 1999 report
considered Ebola virus to be an "unlikely" biologic threat for terrorism, because the
virus is very difficult to obtain and process, unsafe to handle, and relatively unstable.
The current 2014 Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak that began in Guinea in
December 2013 is the largest one ever recorded. For up-to-date information regarding
the outbreak, we suggest the WHO website (2) and the Science magazine open
access area (3), which includes a selection of research articles on the topic and feature
articles:
(1) NIH Medline Plus: Ebola
(2) WHO: Disease outbreak news: Ebola virus disease
(3) Science Magazine: Ebola