Ebola

Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe, often fatal illness caused by infection with Ebola virus, a member of the family Filoviridae. Several Ebola virus species can cause disease in humans, including Zaire ebolavirus, Sudan ebolavirus, Taï Forest ebolavirus, Bundibugyo ebolavirus, Reston ebolavirus, and Bombali ebolavirus. The natural reservoir is believed to be fruit bats, with transmission to humans typically occurring through contact with infected animals or with the blood or body fluids of an infected person or contaminated materials. Person-to-person transmission requires close contact and can occur during caregiving, at any stage of illness, and during traditional burial practices.

Incubation is usually 2 to 21 days. Early symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, and sore throat, followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rash, abdominal pain, and impaired kidney or liver function. Some patients develop internal and external bleeding. Case fatality rates vary by outbreak and virus species but have historically been high. Diagnosis is confirmed by laboratory tests such as RT-PCR on blood samples.

There is no widely available cure, but supportive care—fluids, electrolyte management, oxygen, and treatment of complications—improves survival. Two monoclonal antibody therapies, Inmazeb and Ebanga, have been approved in many regions for the treatment of EVD caused by certain Ebola species. Vaccination with Ervebo (a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus vaccine) provides protection against Zaire ebolavirus and is used in outbreak response and ring vaccination strategies.

Prevention focuses on infection control, use of personal protective equipment, safe burial practices, and rapid isolation and monitoring of contacts. Outbreaks have occurred mainly in sub-Saharan Africa since 1976, with the 2014–2016 West Africa outbreak being the largest on record.