Facts : EBOLA Virus

What is Ebola?
The Ebola virus causes viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF), which according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), refers to a group of viruses that affect multiple organ systems in the body and are often accompanied by bleeding. The virus is named after the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), where one of the first outbreaks occurred in 1976.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says there are five different strains of the virus -- named after the areas they originated in. Three of these have been associated with large outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever in Africa. Reston Ebola is named after the city of Reston, Virginia in the United States, where the fifth strain of the Ebola virus was identified in monkeys imported from the Philippines.

What are Ebola's symptoms? 
Ebola can only be definitively confirmed by five different laboratory tests. Early symptoms of the Ebola virus include sudden onset of fever, weakness, muscle pain, headaches and a sore throat. These symptoms can appear two to 21 days after infection. The WHO says these non-specific early symptoms can be mistaken for signs of diseases such as malaria, typhoid fever, meningitis or even the plague.

Public health officials report that some patients may also develop a rash, red eyes, hiccups, chest pains and difficulty breathing and swallowing. The early symptoms progress to vomiting, diarrhea, impaired kidney and liver function and sometimes internal and external bleeding.

Who is at most risk?
During an outbreak, those at higher risk of infection are:

• Health workers;
• Family members or others in close contact with infected people;
• Mourners who have direct contact with the bodies of the deceased as part of burial ceremonies; and
• Hunters in the rain forest who come into contact with dead animals found lying in the forest.

More research is needed to understand if some groups, such as immuno-compromised people or those with other underlying health conditions, are more susceptible than others to contracting the virus.

Exposure to the virus can be controlled through the use of protective measures in clinics and hospitals, at community gatherings, or at home.

How is it treated? 
There are no specific treatments for Ebola. Patients are isolated and then supported by healthcare workers which consist of hydrating patients, maintaining their oxygen status and blood pressure, and treating them for any complicating infections.

There have been cases of healthcare workers contracting the virus from patients and the World Health Organization has issued guidance for dealing for with confirmed or suspected cases of the virus.

Healthcare workers are advised to wear impermeable gowns and gloves, as well as facial protection such as goggles or a medical mask to prevent splashes to the nose, mouth, and eyes.

How does it spread?
The WHO says it is believed that fruit bats may be the natural host of the Ebola virus in Africa, passing on the virus to other animals. Humans contract Ebola through contact with the bodily fluids of infected animals.

According to the WHO, Ebola later spreads from human-to-human via contact with bodily fluids containing the virus. The virus can be spread through contact with an object contaminated with infected secretions. Direct contact with the corpses of Ebola victims can also result in infection.

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