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It is a serious and often fatal disease caused by a virus. Symptoms include fever, diarrhea, vomiting, bleeding and often cause death.
Ebola disease can occur in humans and other primates (monkeys, gorillas and chimpanzees).
The outbreak of Ebola disease in West Africa, which began in March 2014, was the largest in history. Almost 40% of the people who contracted this condition during this outbreak died.
The virus presents a very low risk for people in the United States.
Causes
WHERE IS THE EBOLA DISEASE PRESENTED?
This condition was discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since then, several small outbreaks have occurred in Africa. The outbreak of 2014 was the largest. The countries that were most affected by this outbreak include:
- Guinea
- Sierra Leone
- Liberia
Cases of Ebola disease have been previously reported in:
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- España
- Estados Unidos
- Mali
- Reino Unido
- Italia
There are no current cases of Ebola disease in these countries. Most of these cases were due to people who traveled from a country where the disease was spreading.
There were four people diagnosed with Ebola disease in the United States. Two of those were imported cases, and two contracted the disease after treating a patient who had Ebola in the United States. A man died because of the disease. The other three recovered and have no symptoms of Ebola disease.
HOW CAN THE EBOLA VIRUS BE PROPAGATED?
This virus does not spread as easily as the most common diseases such as colds, flu or measles. There is NO data that indicates that the virus that causes Ebola disease spreads through air or water. A person who has Ebola can not spread the disease until the symptoms appear.
Ebola disease can ONLY be spread between humans by direct contact with infected body fluids including, but not limited to, urine, saliva, sweat, feces, vomit, breast milk and semen. The virus can enter the body through a break in the skin or mucous membranes, which include the eyes, nose and mouth.
The Ebola virus can also spread by contact with ANY type of surface, objects and materials that have been in contact with body fluids of a sick person, such as:
- Lined and bedding
- Bandages
- Needles and syringes
- Medical equipment
In Africa, the Ebola virus can also be transmitted by:
- Manipulate infected wild animals, hunted for food
- Contact with blood or body fluids of infected animals
- Contact with infected bats
The Ebola virus does NOT spread through:
- The air
- Water
- The food
- Insects (mosquitoes)
Health workers and people living in the home are at high risk of contracting the Ebola virus, because they are more likely to come into direct contact with bodily fluids. The proper use of personal protective equipment EPP greatly reduces this risk.
