Ebola Virus: Facts About Infection

On the 23rd of March,2014, the Ministry of Health Guinea informed the World Health Organization of a major outbreak of Ebola virus infection in Guinea. There are also reports of serologically confirmed cases of Ebola virus infection in Liberia. The disease has a high case fatality rate. There is no case of  the infection reported in Nigeria yet.

Ebola virus (genus Ebolavirus) causes the acute viral syndrome known as Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever (EHF). It was named after a river in Northern Zaire (now Congo) where it was first discovered in 1976.

The natural reservoir host of Ebola viruses remains unknown. However, on the basis of available evidence and the nature of similar viruses (Ebola is morphologically related to the Marburg Virus recognised in 1967, but is antigenically distinct), researchers believe that the virus is zoonotic (animal borne) with bats being the most likely reservoir. Four of the subtypes occur in animal host native to Africa.

EHF is a severe disease, with or without haemorrhagic symptoms, characterised by person-to-person transmission through close contact with patients, dead bodies or infected body fluids. The potential for explosive nosocomial (hospital acquired) infection in healthcare settings and environments with poor hygiene standards constitutes its main threat to public health.

EHF epidemics have shown that, after an incubation period which ranges from 2 to 21 days (5-12 days in most cases).

Suspected Symptoms:

All persons presenting with acute fever, headache, dysphagia, hiccups (hiccoughs), nausea and abdominal pain with signs of haemorrhage (bleeding) such as bleeding of the gums, nose bleeding, conjunctival injection (red eyes), bruised skin, bloody stools or malaena, vomitting blood and other hemorrhagic signs.

One measure of prevention is to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water very often.