The Ebola virus disease is a severe and often fatal illness that was first discovered in 1976. It spreads through contact with infected body fluids and tissues. Initial symptoms include fever, muscle pain and headaches, while later symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea and internal/external bleeding. There is no licensed vaccine yet, but potential treatments involve rehydration, symptom management and experimental therapies. Containing the spread involves proper hygiene, protective equipment, safe medical practices and community education.

1. EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE
BY GAYATHRI R

2. INTRODUCTION
 The Ebola virus disease is spoken widely in the recent years.
 Ebola virus disease is an acute, serious illness which is fatal if untreated.
 Ebolaviruses were first discovered in 1976 when two consecutive outbreaks of fatal
hemorrhagic fever occurred in different parts of Central Africa.
 Symptoms include fever, diarrhea, vomiting, bleeding, and often, death.

3. DEFINITION
 An infectious and frequently fatal disease marked by fever and severe internal
bleeding, spread through contact with infected body fluids by a filovirus ( Ebola
virus ).

4. EPIDEMIOLOGY OF EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE
 Ebola virus can spread to people when they have contact with an infected animal’s
blood, body fluids, or tissues.
 Ebola virus then spreads from person to person through direct contact with blood
or body fluids of a person who is sick with or has died from EVD.

5. CAUSATIVE AGENT
 The virus family filoviridae includes three genera: Cueva virus, Marbirg virus and
Ebola virus.
 Scientists later discovered that the two outbreaks were caused by two genetically
distinct viruses: Zaire ebolavirus and Sudan ebolavirus.

6. HOST
 It is thought that fruit bats of the pteropodidae family are natural Ebola virus host.
 People remain infectious as long as their blood contains the virus.

7. TRANSMISSION
 Ebola spreads to people through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs
or other bodily fluids of infected animals like chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats and
monkeys.
 Human-to-human transmission occurs by direct contact through broken skin and
mucous membranes with the blood, secretions and bodily fluids of infected
people and contaminated objects.
 Mourners have direct contact with the body of the deceased person also can
transmit ebola.

8. INCUBATION PERIOD
 The incubation period is 2-21 days.

9. CLINICAL SYMTOMS
 Initial symptoms are fever, muscle pain, fatigue, head ache and sore throat.
 Other symptoms that occur later may include vomiting, diarrhoea, rashes,
impaired kidney and liver functions.
 Occasionally in some cases there may be internal and external bleeding like
oozing from the gums, blood in the stools.

10. DIAGNOSIS
 Antibody- capture enzyme- linked Immunosorbent assay(ELISA).
 Antigen-capture detection tests.
 Serum neutralization test
 Reverse transcriptase chain reaction(RTPCR) assay
 Electron microscopy
 Virus isolation by cell culture

11. TREATMENT
 Rehydration with oral or intravenous fluidS
 Symptomatic treatment
 A range of potential treatment including blood products, immune therapies and
drug therapies are currently being evaluated
 No licensed vaccine are available yet, but 2 potential vaccines are undergoing
human safety testing

12. CONTROLLING INFECTION IN HEALTH –
CARE SETTINGS
 Basic hygiene
 Respiratory hygiene
 Use of personal protective equipments to present any splashes or other materials.
 Use safe injection practices while procedure
 Safe disposal and burial practices

13. ROLE OF COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSE
 Communicate Ebola-related messages to their peers
 Enhance provider understandings of community fears
 Advocate for community needs within the health system.
 Promote healthy living, disease prevention, and necessary medical treatment

14. THANKYOU