What are the Important Facts you should know about the Ebola ?

What is Ebola ?

Ebola, also known as Ebola virus disease, is a rare and deadly disease caused by infection with one of the Ebola virus strains (Zaire, Sudan, Bundibugyo, or Tai Forest virus). Ebola viruses are found in several African countries. Ebola was discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since then, outbreaks have appeared sporadically in several African countries.

What are the signs and symptoms of Ebola ?

Signs and symptoms of Ebola include fever (greater than 38.6°C or 101.5°F) and severe headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, or unexplained bleeding or bruising. Signs and symptoms may appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days after exposure to Ebola, although 8 to 10 days is most common.

How is Ebola spread?

The virus is spread through  direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with blood and body fluids (urine, feces, saliva, vomit, and semen) of a person who is sick with Ebola, or with objects (like needles) that have been contaminated with the virus. Ebola is not spread through the air or by water or, in general, by food; however, in Africa, Ebola may be spread as a result of handling bushmeat (wild animals hunted for food) and contact with infected bats.

How is Ebola treated?

No specific vaccine or medicine has been proven to cure Ebola. Signs and symptoms of Ebola are treated as they appear. The following basic interventions, when used early, can increase the chances of survival.

• Providing fluids and electrolytes
• Maintaining oxygen status and blood pressure
• Treating other infections if they occur

Early recognition of Ebola is important for providing appropriate patient care and preventing the spread of infection. Healthcare providers should be alert for and evaluate any patients suspected of having Ebola.

How do I protect myself against Ebola?

If you are in or traveling to an area affected by the Ebola outbreak, protect yourself by doing the following:

• Wash hands frequently.
• Avoid contact with blood and body fluids of any person, particularly someone who is sick.
• Do not handle items that may have come in contact with an infected person’s blood or body fluids.
• Do not touch the body of someone who has died from Ebola.
• Do not touch bats and nonhuman primates or their blood and fluids and do not touch or eat raw meat prepared from these animals.
• Avoid hospitals where Ebola patients are being treated. The U.S. Embassy or consulate is often able to provide advice on medical facilities.
• Seek medical care immediately if you develop fever (temperature of 101.5oF/ 38.6oC) and any of the other following symptoms: headache, muscle pain, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, or unexplained bruising or bleeding.
• Limit your contact with other people until and when you go to the doctor. Do not travel anywhere else besides a healthcare facility.

Some Facts about the Ebola

1.      Ebola was discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since then, outbreaks have appeared sporadically in several African countries.

2.      Ebola is not transmitted through the air.

3.      Ebola only spreads when people are sick. A patient must have symptoms in order to spread the disease to others. 

4.      Symptoms of Ebola typically include: fever (greater than 38.6°C or 101.5°F), severe headache, muscle pain, weakness, severe diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal (stomach) pain, and lack of appetite. The symptoms may appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days after exposure to the Ebola virus, although 8-10 days is most common.

5.      Timely treatment of Ebola is important but challenging because the disease is difficult to diagnose clinically in the early stages of infection. Because many of the symptoms of Ebola are similar to other diseases, such as malaria, Ebola may be misdiagnosed. 

6.      Only mammals (for example, humans, bats, monkeys and apes) have shown the ability to become infected with and transmit the Ebola virus.

7.      Some people who become sick with Ebola are able to recover. In the current West Africa outbreak, about half of the people survive the infection if they get timely treatment. Patients who die usually never develop a significant immune response to the virus.

8.      Although there are experimental drugs being tested, there are no specific vaccines or medicines (e.g., antiviral drugs) that have been proven to be effective against Ebola.

9.      Symptoms of Ebola are treated as they appear. The following basic interventions, when used early, can increase the chances of survival. Providing intravenous fluids and balancing electrolytes (body salts), maintaining oxygen status and blood pressure, and treating other infections if they occur. If you must travel to an area with known Ebola cases, be aware of your surroundings and, especially avoid contact with blood and body fluids of infected  persons.  Even if you are a low risk of having had contact with ill persons, you may wish to monitor your health for 21 days after you return and seek medical care immediately if you develop fever and symptoms of Ebola.

10.  The most effective way people can assist Ebola relief efforts is by making cash contributions to humanitarian organizations that are conducting relief operations. A list of humanitarian organizations that are accepting cash donations for disaster responses around the world can be found at www.interaction.org.

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