First Reported in West Africa
Named for the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of Congo where some of the original cases were reported in 1976, Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) causes severe illness in humans with almost 90% of cases being fatal. The virus is acquired from wild animals and is then transmitted from human to human when secretions, including blood, semen or other bodily fluids, gain entrance to the body through mucous membranes or broken skin.
Signs and Symptoms
Symptoms begin to appear from a few days to three weeks after infection with the Ebola virus. Infectivity lasts as long as the virus remains in bodily secretions which can be up to two months from the time the illness begins. Signs and symptoms are characterized by sudden onset of fever, sore throat, headache, muscle pain and weakness, followed by vomiting, diarrhea and rash. Eventually, liver and kidney function become impaired. There may be bleeding, both internally and externally, due to a low platelet count, hence this disease’s former name, Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever. Ebola Virus Disease is confirmed by several laboratory tests, which must be conducted under strict protective conditions.
No Known Cure
There is currently no vaccine for Ebola Virus Disease and there is no known cure other than experimental drugs and supportive treatment in the hospital, including hydration, blood transfusions and oxygen. Despite the highly contagious nature of this infection, two patients with confirmed Ebola Virus Disease were recently transported from Africa to the United States for treatment. In spite of the fact that little is known about this often fatal disease, or perhaps because of it, it was entirely appropriate to repatriate these American citizens to a medical center where every effort could be made to save them.
A Learning Experience
Fortunately, our country continues to have the most advanced medical care available anywhere in the world and we are entirely capable of isolating highly contagious patients such as these. In what can only be described as a major milestone in treating this serious infection, both patients have now been released from Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, free of Ebola Virus Infection. The experience gained from treating these individuals will be invaluable when doctors are faced with their next patient suffering from this devastating disease.