An overview of Ebola Virus disease
(EVD) Ebola virus disease also known as (EHF) Ebola hemorrhagic fever is a disease that causes hemorrhagic fever in both humans and animals.
It is a very fatal disease as it affects the body’s vascular system leading to significant internal bleeding and failure of other organs.
Ebola virus disease cannot be spread from one person to another, it is spread through direct contact with bodily fluids which are infected and not through casual contact.
Ebola virus disease (EVD) symptoms
A person infected with Ebola virus develops the following symptoms:
· Headache
· Fever
· Joint
· Sore throat
· Muscle pain
· Intense muscle care
· Rash and chills
· Diarrhea, vomiting and nausea
· Hemorrhaging
The above symptoms start suddenly from 2-21 after the infection.
If you feel unwell and experience the above symptoms after visiting the west Africa region, you should contact health care center immediately and describe your symptoms up front so that they can prepare for your appointment without risking other patients.
How Ebola is spread
Ebola virus disease is spread through contact with:
· Body fluids, tissue and blood from an infected person
· Medical equipment such as needles that are contaminated with body fluids.
Ebola can also spread to health care staff who do not wear protective equipment such as gloves, gowns and masks.
Ebola is also be spread through contact with infected animals such as:
· Monkeys
· Gorillas
· Bats
How Ebola is diagnosed
Ebola virus disease is diagnosed based on:
· Laboratory testing
· Travel history
· Symptoms
However, diagnosis is quite difficult because Ebola symptoms are similar to many other health conditions such as typhoid and malaria.
Ebola treatment
There is no licensed treatment for Ebola, patients are usually treated for the symptoms they experience.
The treatments includes:
· Ensuring proper electrolytes and fluid levels which is necessary for body minerals
· Supporting oxygen delivery and blood pressure
· Isolation in an intensive care unit to prevent the spread of the disease to uninfected persons.
However some patients can recover from Ebola without treatment, however up to 90 per cent of Ebola patients do not survive.
The sooner you get treatment, the better the chances of recovery.
Precaution
Since there is no licensed treatment for Ebola, you should take the following precaution to prevent an infection.
Avoid direct contact with bodily fluids such as vaginal fluid, semen, breast milk, vomit, saliva, blood and urine of people suffering from any Ebola symptoms especially those in Ebola infected regions.
Also, avoid any contact with the bodies of people who have died of unknown illnesses or Ebola as well as medical equipment that are contaminated.