Ebola fever

Ebola Fever

Ebola fever (pronounced /iːˈboʊlə/), also known as Ebola virus disease (EVD), is a severe, often fatal illness in humans. The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission.

Etymology

The disease is named after the Ebola River, where the first recognized outbreak of the disease occurred. The river itself was named for its shape, which resembles the traditional blade weapon known as an "ebola".

Symptoms

The symptoms of Ebola fever include fever, severe headache, muscle pain, weakness, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and unexplained hemorrhage (bleeding or bruising). Symptoms may appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days after contact with the virus, with an average of 8 to 10 days.

Transmission

Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and with surfaces and materials (e.g. bedding, clothing) contaminated with these fluids.

Prevention and Control

Prevention includes measures to avoid contact with blood and body fluids, and items that may have come in contact with an infected person’s blood or body fluids. Control measures include prompt and safe burial of the dead, identifying people who may have been in contact with someone infected with Ebola, monitoring the health of contacts for 21 days, and the importance of separating the healthy from the sick.

Treatment

Supportive care-rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids- and treatment of specific symptoms, improves survival. There is as yet no proven treatment available for EVD. However, a range of potential treatments including blood products, immune therapies and drug therapies are currently being evaluated.

Related Terms

• Virus
• Infectious Disease
• Hemorrhagic Fever
• Zoonotic Diseases

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Ebola fever
• Wikipedia's article - Ebola fever

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