Ebola is a hemorrhagic fever, a highly lethal infectious disease caused by the Ebola virus. Most cases are fatal from bleeding - mortality from Ebola infection ranges from 60 to 90 percent. Work on the vaccine has been underway for several years. Check what are the symptoms of Ebola infection.

Ebolatohemorrhagic fevercaused byEbola viruswas first described in 1976 - in Zaire, 280 out of 318 died during the epidemic.

Rodents and Saba monkeys are likely to be the natural reservoirs for the Ebola virus that is responsible for this hemorrhagic fever.

Ebola hemorrhagic fever is most common in tropical countries, but cases have also been reported in Europe, Asia, and North America.

Infection occurs through droplets, after direct contact with the patient, possibly also pigs, rodents and some species of monkeys.

Symptoms of infection usually appear 2 to 21 days after contact with the virus. The disease lasts up to 2 weeks, the fastest death was after 4 days.

There is a risk of Ebola transmission through contact with equipment or contaminated materials in he althcare facilities if proper epidemiological control procedures are not properly followed.

Ebola: symptoms and course

The first symptoms of hemorrhagic fever resemble those of the flu, but the next ones appear quickly and the patient's condition deteriorates rapidly:

  • high temperature
  • muscle aches
  • diarrhea
  • vomiting
  • abdominal, chest and headaches
  • rash

In the peak phase of the disease, profuse bleeding from body cavities and internal bleeding occurs. The patient usually loses consciousness and loses contact with the environment, sometimes he experiences mental disorders.

Ebola hemorrhagic fever: treatment

There is no effective drug yet in the fight against the Ebola virus. Patients are treated symptomatically and given medications. However, intensive work is underway on both a drug and a vaccine that would protect against contracting this dangerous disease.

How big is the risk of contracting the virusebola?

The risk of Ebola infection is very small unless you have come into direct contact with the body fluids of a living or dead infected person or an infected living or dead animal. Contact with body fluids includes unprotected sexual contact with patients for up to three months after recovery.

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Ebola - virus may remain in the eye

In healed patients, the virus can hide in some secretions in their body, in the fluid in the eye. It can then contribute to widespread uveitis and further blindness. Earlier it was discovered that the virus can remain in male sperm for months.

Ebola virus: how do you get infected?

The virus is transmitted through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids (eg saliva, urine, vomit) of infected people - both living and deceased. Exposure to body fluids also includes, according to experts, unprotected sexual contact with patients up to three months after recovery.

The disease can also be spread through direct contact with the blood and other body fluids of dead or live wild animals such as monkeys, forest antelopes and bats.

Symptoms of the disease may appear suddenly two to 21 days after exposure to the virus.

Important

How to destroy the Ebola virus?

The Ebola virus is easily killed by soap, bleach, sunlight, and heat or drying (above 60 ° C). Washing clothes that have been contaminated with body fluids in the washing machine destroys the virus. The Ebola virus only survives for a short time on sun-exposed and dry surfaces. The Ebola virus is also sensitive to ionizing radiation, light and commonly available chemical disinfectants (phenol, methyl alcohol).

How do you get infected with the Ebola virus?

Accidental contact in public places with people who do not appear to be sick does not transmit the virus. You cannot catch Ebola through money, groceries, or by swimming in a pool. You cannot catch the Ebola virus by airborne or mosquito bites.

Ebola causes long-term he alth problems

Ebola causes long-term he alth problems, argue doctors from the National Institutes of He alth in the USA. Their observations show that most people who have been infected with the Ebola virus experience significant body weakness. In addition, they had problems with the nervous system,such as memory loss and signs of depression. Some even attempted suicide. However, hallucinations, meningitis, and coma are the most common symptoms in post-infection patients.

In patients who have had Ebola infection, he alth problems may appear even six months after the disease has subsided, and in extreme cases - even after 18 months.

Scientists have already concluded that after recovery, the Ebola virus can remain dormant in the body for a long time and cause he alth problems later on.

In some casesthe syndrome following Ebola virus infectionmay develop into a life-threatening condition. An example is British nurse Pauline Cafferkey, who has been hospitalized for the third time (as of February 2016) since contracting the Ebola virus in 2014.

The first time she was hospitalized because of an infection in December 2014, from which she was discharged in January 2015.

However, the infection appeared again in October 2015. At that time, her condition was very serious - the virus caused meningitis, but also this time she managed to recover.

A few months later - in February 2016 - the British woman was hospitalized for the third time because of the Ebola virus.

The text uses information from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control

Category:

Infectious diseases