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What is ebola virus disease (EVD)?
Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a rare disease which causes severe illness, often leading to death. Ebola was first identified in 1976 in South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo and primarily affects Central and West Africa.
How is EVD transmitted?
It is thought that fruit bats are the primary natural carriers of the ebola virus. Humans can contract the disease through contact with the bodily fluids or tissues from infected animals, including fruit bats, primates, forest antelope or porcupines.
Human-to-human transmission can occur through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person, or with objects contaminated with infected bodily fluids.
Infected individuals become infectious once they begin to develop symptoms. They remain infectious as long as the virus is present in the blood.
EVD can also persist in semen of survivors and be transmitted sexually after recovery. Pregnant women who get acute EVD and recover may still carry the virus in breastmilk, or in pregnancy related fluids and tissues.
What are the symptoms of EVD?
Initial symptoms include:
Sudden onset of fever
Weakness
Muscle pain
Joint pain
Headache
Sore throat
This can be followed by:
Vomiting
Diarrhoea
Rash
Stomach pain
Red eyes
Impaired kidney and liver function
Internal and external bleeding
What are the risk factors?
Risk factors include:
Unprotected exposure to blood and body fluids or secretions from infected or deceased people (including in burials or funerals), or infected animals.
Direct contact with environments contaminated with an infected person’s body fluids.
How is EVD treated?
The rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine is approved to protect against the most common type of ebola caused by the Zaire species of the ebola virus. However, the vaccine does not provide cross protection against other types of ebola.
Patients with EVD are managed with symptomatic treatment and supportive care. Early diagnosis and management can significantly improve the chances of survival.
How to prevent EVD?
To reduce risk of exposure to EVD, travellers are advised to maintain vigilance and adopt the following health precautions:
Always observe and practice good personal hygiene.
Wash hands regularly with soap. If water is not available, use an alcohol-based sanitiser that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Avoid close contact and sharing common items with persons who are unwell or have symptoms of EVD.
Avoid participating in burial ceremonies which require direct contact with body of people who have died from EVD.
Returning travellers from countries with reported EVD activity (refer to World Health Organization for latest information) or travellers who suspect that they have been exposed to EVD should seek immediate medical attention if they develop any symptoms. They should inform their doctor of their recent travel or contact history.
Please refer to Health Advice for Travellers for the full list of precautions to take when travelling.