What Is Ebola?
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Ebola is a viral hemorrhagic (bleeding) illness that has a high
fatality rate. The virus was discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River in
the present day Democratic Republic of Congo. There are five strains of
the
Ebola virus -- Tai Forest, Sudan, Bundibugyo, Zaire, and Reston.
Four of the strains (Reston is the exception) are responsible for
outbreaks in humans. The Ebola virus is harbored by fruit bats,
gorillas, monkeys, forest antelope, chimpanzees, and porcupines. Humans
can contract the virus by coming into close contact with the body or
bodily fluids (including blood) of an infected animal. Once the virus
spreads to a human, person-to-person transmission is possible.
The Ebola Outbreak
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Since 1976, outbreaks have occurred sporadically in Zaire, Sudan,
Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, and Uganda. The largest outbreak,
beginning in March 2014, affects Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegal,
and Nigeria. The West Africa Ebola outbreak is the largest in history
with 8033 reported cases and 3879 deaths as of October 8. Visit the
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website for the latest outbreak
statistics.
How Is Ebola Transmitted?
In between human outbreaks, Ebola is believed to be harbored in
animals that act as a “reservoir” for the virus. When a human contracts
Ebola by handling an infected animal, person-to-person transmission can
then lead to an outbreak. Ebola can be transmitted directly or
indirectly. Direct transmission refers to the virus passing from the
blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person to another person via
sexual contact or by infected body fluids (tears, feces, urine, vomit,
for example) that contact the mucous membranes, or broken skin. Indirect
transmission refers to a person picking up a virus from a contaminated
object, such as infected surgical equipment or a needle.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Ebola?
The signs and symptoms of Ebola virus include fever greater than
101°F, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, severe headache, joint/muscle
pain, abdominal pain, weakness, rash, and internal bleeding. Some people
with the illness may bleed from the eyes, nose, ears, and rectum. Lab
tests may reveal abnormal liver and kidney function. Levels of white
blood cells and platelets may be elevated. The incubation period of
Ebola, defined as the period of time from exposure to the virus until
the onset of symptoms, is 21 days. The average time from exposure to
symptom development is about 8 – 10 days; bleeding is usually a later
symptom that signifies severe infection.
Is Ebola Airborne?
In lab conditions, the Ebola virus has been shown to spread through
the air. However, in real-world living conditions and in hospital
settings, there is no evidence that Ebola can be transmitted through the
air. While there are fears that Ebola could mutate and become more
easily transmissible, the director of the CDC, Dr. Tom Frieden, stated
that there has been little change in the Ebola virus in the past 40
years. He also said that there is no evidence that Ebola has undergone
any changes that would make it easier to spread from person to person.
