Ebola Virus Facts

Ebola Virus Facts

The current Ebola outbreak has infected more than 6,500 people and has killed about 3,000.

______________________________________________________

FROM THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

• Ebola virus disease or EVD is a severe, often fatal illness in humans.

• Ebola is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads through human-to-human transmission.

• The average EVD case fatality rate is around 50%. In past outbreaks the fatality rate has varied from 25% to 90%.

______________________________________________________

STOPPING EBOLA

How can we stop this?

1. Find and isolate the patients and safely bury the dead.

2. Find and isolate anyone the patients have contacted until they are not a threat.

3. Practice extreme hygiene awareness admonishing everybody in the community to wash hands often with soap and water and keep from touching eyes, nose or mouth with hands.

4. Health Care workers must practice maximum biological containment conditions including: gloves, protective equipment, and extreme best hygiene practices.

ANYONE WHO HAS CONTACT WITH THE INFECTED MUST BE MONITORED FOR 21 DAYS

Ebola doesn't kill everybody who contracts it. Those that survive create antibodies and have a degree of immunity from the virus for about ten years.

TREATMENT

An IV drip of fluids to prevent dehydration and antibiotics can improve the survival rate. PLEASE NOTE: THERE IS NO KNOWN CURE FOR EBOLA

THE EARLY SYMPTOMS

The incubation period, meaning the time from infection with the virus to the onset of symptoms is 2 to 21 days. Humans are not infections until they develop symptoms. First symptons are the sudden onset of fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rash, symptoms of impaired kidney and liver functions, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding.

Ebola symptoms look a lot like the flu. Some who contract the disease hemorrhage blood but this symptom isn't present in all who are infected. When bleeding does happen it is a later stage symptom.

DIAGNOSIS

It is difficult to distinguish EVD from other infectious diseases such as malaria, typhoid fever and meningitis. Capture and testing of bodily fluids are necessary to make a positive diagnosis. PLEASE NOTE: Collection of bodily fluids are an extreme biohazard risk. Laboratory testing on non-inactivated samples should only be conducted under maximum biological containment conditions.

TRANSMISSION

Ebola is transmitted through bodily fluids of someone who is ill with Ebola or has died from the disease. It is not an airborne disease that floats long distances. If someone sweats, sneezes, coughs, or vomits close to your face you can become infected. Direct contact with blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people and with surfaces and materials (ie. bedding or clothing) contaminated with these fluids.

Men who have recovered from the disease can still transmit the virus through their semen for up to 7 weeks.