The Ebola virus is a serious and

deadly disease transmitted by

animals and humans. Scientists
initially detected the Ebola virus
disease (EVD) in 1976 in Sudan
and the Democratic Republic of
Congo. Researchers named the
disease after the Ebola River
that flows in the Congo.
Although the Ebola virus has
been present for more than 35
years, an outbreak occurred in
March 2014 that began in West
Africa. This outbreak has proven
more deadly, severe, and
widespread than previous
outbreaks
What Causes Ebola?
The Ebola virus belongs to the
viral
family Filoviridae. Scientists also
call it Filovirus. These virus
types cause hemorrhagic fever
or profuse bleeding inside and
outside the body accompanied
by a very high fever. Ebola can
be further divided into subtypes
that are named for the location
they were identified. These
include:
Bundibugyo
Reston
Sudan
Ta Forest (previously known as
Ivory Coast)
Zaire
The Ebola virus likely originated
in African fruit bats. The virus is
known as a zoonotic virus
because its transmitted to
humans from animals. Humans
can also transfer the virus to
each other. Other animals
known to transmit the virus
include:
chimpanzees
forest antelopes
gorillas
monkeys
porcupines
Since people may handle these
infected animals, the virus can
be transmitted via the animals
blood and body fluids. Once
people become infected with
Ebola, they can transmit it to
others if people come in contact
with their:
breast milk
feces
saliva
semen (According to the CDC,
Ebola can live in the semen for
as long as three months.)
sweat
urine
vomit
These bodily fluids can all carry
Ebola virus. People can get

Ebola when they come in

contact with these fluids via the
eyes, nose, mouth, or broken
skin. Healthcare workers are
especially at risk for
experiencing Ebola because
they often deal with blood and
bodily fluids.
Ebola can also be spread
through sticks from infected
objects, such as needles, and
interactions with infected
animals. To date, Ebola is only
known to be transmitted from
infected mammals and humans.
Insects like mosquitoes are not
linked with carrying Ebola.
What Are the Symptoms of
Ebola?
According to the Centers for
Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), Ebola
symptoms can take as long as
three weeks to appear. Disease
symptoms include:
diarrhea
fever
headache
muscle pain
stomach pain
unexplained bleeding or bruising
vomiting
People should seek immediate
medical care if they have a
fever greater than

How Is Ebola Diagnosed?

The early symptoms of Ebola
can closely mimic other
diseases like
the flu, malaria and typhoid
fever. People who have Ebola
should be immediately isolated
to protect against further
transmissions.
Blood tests can identify
antibodies or the Ebola virus
when people show the first
symptoms of what could be
Ebola. Blood tests may also
reveal low white blood cell
counts, low platelet counts, and
high liver enzymes.
If a person recovers from Ebola,
they also will develop certain
antibodies to the disease in their
blood that confirm the disease
was Ebola. In addition to blood
tests, a doctor will also consider
the persons activities and
whether they have come in
contact with anyone who could
have Ebola.
How Is Ebola Treated?
The Ebola virus does not have a
cure or vaccine at this time.
Instead, measures are taken to
keep the person as comfortable

as possible. Supportive care

measures include:
giving medications to maintain
blood pressure
managing electrolyte balances
providing extra oxygen, if
needed
providing intravenous fluids to
prevent dehydration
treating co-existing infections
and preventing other infections
from occurring
Peoples immune systems can
respond differently to Ebola.
While some may recover from
the virus without complication,
others can have residual effects
like joint problems.
Preventing Ebola
Individuals can take several
precautions to protect against
Ebola. These steps include:
avoiding contact with blood and
body fluids
educating themselves on
recognizing the disease and
preventing it
practicing careful hand hygiene,
including washing hands with
soap and water or an alcoholbased hand sanitizer
refraining from engaging in
burial rituals that involve
handling the body of a person
who died from Ebola
refraining from handling items a
person with Ebola has handled,
including clothing, bedding,
needles, or medical equipment
Healthcare workers and lab
technicians also must practice
very careful precautions. This
includes isolating people with
Ebola and wearing protective
gowns, gloves, masks, and eye
shields when coming in contact
with the infected person or their
belongings. Careful protocol and
disposal of these protective
materials is also vital for
infection prevention.
Cleaning crews should use a
bleach solution to clean floors
and surfaces that may have
come in contact with the Ebola
virus.
What Is the Survival Outlook for
Ebola?
According to the World Health
Organization, the average Ebola
case fatality rate is 50 percent.
However, some virus strains are
deadlier than others. According
to the Public Health Age
The number of Ebola cases so
far this year: 9,936. How many
people have been killed by
Ebola: 4,877. These are the
official figures put out by the

World Health Organization,

widely regarded as the authority
on the Ebola outbreak in West
Africa. Those statistics have

been widely circulated,

reported, tweeted and
retweeted, but the number of
deaths related to Ebola is based

largely on speculation, not

concrete evidence, according to
a spokesman for WHO.