Ebola

Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is located mainly in sub-Saharan Africa and in people and primates, can be deadly. People can get EVD through direct contact with an infected animal (bat or nonhuman primate) or a sick or dead person infected with Ebola virus. The latest outbreak occurred on August 1, 2018 when the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) reported an outbreak of Ebola virus disease in North Kivu Province.

Ebola, one of the deadliest viral diseases, was discovered in 1976 when two consecutive outbreaks of fatal hemorrhagic fever occurred the Democratic Republic of Congo near the Ebola River, which gave the virus its name. The second outbreak occurred in what is now South Sudan. These two outbreaks were caused by two genetically distinct viruses: Zaire ebolavirus and Sudan ebolavirus. African fruit bats are likely involved in the spread of Ebola virus and may even be the source animal (reservoir host). Direct contact with blood and body fluids of people infected with Ebola, both dead and alive, uncleaned medical equipment and fruit bats or primates is the most frequent method of transmission.

Symptoms, including “dry” symptoms of fever, aches and pains (muscle, joint, headache and abdominal), weakness and fatigue and progressing to “wet symptoms” of diarrhea and vomiting, and hemorrhagic bleeding and bruising may appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days after contact with the virus, with an average of 8 to 10 days. The virus can remain in body fluids of Ebola survivors. The Ebola virus can survive on dry surfaces, like doorknobs and countertops for several hours; in body fluids like blood, the virus can survive up to several days at room temperature.

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