Ebola Virus Disease

Abstract

Ebola virus is named for the river in the former Zaire where a haemorrhagic fever initially identified in 1976 involved human to human transmission, as well as spread by contaminated injection equipments. Ebola virus cause an acute febrile illness associated with a high mortality rate. The illness is characterized by multi-system involvement that begins with abrupt onset of headache, myalgia, fever and proceeds to prostration, rash, shock and bleeding manifestation. Epidemics usually begin with a single case acquired from an unknown reservoir (bats suspected) and spread mainly through close contact with sick persons or their body fluids either at home or in the hospital.