Ebola hemorrhagic fever is a severe and often fatal disease in humans caused by five different strains of the Ebola virus which infect humans and nonhuman primates. Fruit bats are considered the natural host. Symptoms include abrupt fever, headache, muscle aches and can progress to diarrhea, vomiting, rash and internal and external bleeding. It occurs mainly in several African countries and is transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated materials. There is no approved vaccine but supportive care and isolation are important to prevent spread.

1. Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever
(Ebola virus disease) -- key facts
Dr. Praveen Malik,
Assistant Professor (Medicine)
HIMSR, Jamia Hamdard, Delhi

2. Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever,
is a severe, often fatal illness in humans.

3. Ebola hemorrhagic fever is a disease caused by
five different strains of Ebola virus; these viruses
infect humans and nonhuman primates.
1. Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV)
2. Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV)
3. Reston ebolavirus (RESTV)
4. Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV)
5. Taï Forest ebolavirus (TAFV).

4. Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are considered to be the
natural host of the Ebola virus.

5. The disease takes its name from Ebola River which flows through
Republic of Congo.

6. Ebola hemorrhagic fever has a short history since it was discovered
in 1976. There have been a few outbreaks, including the current
(2014) "unprecedented epidemic" in Africa.

7. Symptoms and Signs
• incubation period of 2 to 21 days,
• starting with abrupt fever, headache, joint
and muscle aches, sore throat, and weakness;
• progression of symptoms include diarrhoea,
vomiting, stomach pain, hiccups, and rash
• devastating symptoms of internal and external
bleeding in many patients.

8. Ebola viruses are mainly found in primates in Africa and possibly the
Philippines; there are only occasional outbreaks of infection in
humans. Ebola hemorrhagic fever occurs mainly in Africa in the
Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Sudan, Ivory Coast, and Uganda, but it
may occur in other African countries.

9. Ebola virus can be spread by direct contact with blood and
secretions, by contact with blood and secretions that remain on
clothing, and by needles and/or syringes used to treat Ebola-
infected patients.

10. Risk factors for Ebola hemorrhagic fever are travel to areas with
endemic Ebola hemorrhagic fever and/or any close association
with an infected person.

11. Early clinical diagnosis is difficult as the symptoms are nonspecific;
however, if the patient is suspected to have Ebola, the patient
needs to be isolated and local and state health departments need
to be immediately contacted.

12. Definitive diagnostic tests for Ebola hemorrhagic fever are ELISA
and or PCRtests; viral cultivation and biopsy samples may also be
used.

13. Severely ill patients require intensive supportive care. No licensed
specific treatment or vaccine is available for use in people or
animals.

14. ZMapp: New potential medication for Ebola Virus Disease

15. There are many complications from Ebola hemorrhagic fever; the
prognosis for patients ranges from fair to poor since many patients
died from the disease (case fatality rate equals about 25%-100%).

16. Prevention of Ebola hemorrhagic fever is difficult; early testing and
isolation of the patient, plus barrier nursing for caregivers (mask,
gown, goggles, and gloves), is very important to prevent others
from getting infected.