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Summary
Ebola hemorrhagic fever is caused by a virus. It is a severe and often fatal disease. It can affect humans and other primates. Researchers believe that the virus first spreads from an infected animal to a human. It can then spread from human to human through direct contact with a patient's blood or secretions.
Symptoms of Ebola may appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days after exposure to the virus. Symptoms usually include
- Fever
- Headache
- Joint and muscle aches
- Weakness
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Stomach pain
- Lack of appetite
Other symptoms including rash, red eyes, and internal and external bleeding, may also occur.
The early symptoms of Ebola are similar to other, more common, diseases. This makes it difficult to diagnose Ebola in someone who has been infected for only a few days. However, if a person has the early symptoms of Ebola and there is reason to suspect Ebola, the patient should be isolated. It is also important to notify public health professionals. Lab tests can confirm whether the patient has Ebola.
There is no cure for Ebola. Treatment involves supportive care such as fluids, oxygen, and treatment of complications. Some people who get Ebola are able to recover, but many do not.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Symptoms
- Ebola (Ebola Virus Disease): Signs and Symptoms (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Diagnosis and Tests
- Ebola (Ebola Virus Disease): Diagnosis (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Ebola (Ebola Virus Disease): Prevention (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Treatments and Therapies
- Ebola (Ebola Virus Disease): Treatment (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Related Issues
- Ebola (Ebola Virus Disease): Q&As on Transmission (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Ebola (Ebola Virus Disease): Transmission (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Facts about Ebola
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- PDF
- Questions and Answers about Ebola, Pets, and Other Animals (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Questions and Answers: 2014 Ebola Outbreak (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Travel to and from Ebola-Affected Countries Is Low-Risk: Here Is What You Need to Know
(World Health Organization)
Statistics and Research
- 2014 Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Ebola/Marburg
(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Ebola Vaccines
(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Ebolavirus
(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Patient Handouts
- Ebola virus disease (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish