Ebola history and symptoms

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

1976 photograph of two nurses standing in front of Kinshasa case #3 (Nurse Mayinga) who was treated and later died in Ngaliema Hospital, in Kinshasa, Zaïre

Symptoms are varied and often appear suddenly. Initial symptoms include high:

Ebola may progress to cause more serious symptoms, such as:

Other secondary symptoms include:

The interior bleeding is caused by a chemical reaction between the virus and the platelets which creates a chemical that will cut cell sized holes into the capillary walls. After 5-7 days the person will die of "a million cuts." Occasionally, internal and external hemorrhage from orifices, such as the nose and mouth may also occur, as well as from incompletely healed injuries such as needle-puncture sites. Ebola virus can affect the levels of white blood cells and platelets, disrupting clotting. Fewer than 50 percent of patients will not develop any hemorrhaging.

Methods of diagnosis of Ebola include testing saliva and urine samples. The span of time from onset of symptoms to death is usually between 7 and 14 days. By the second week of infection, patients will either defervesce (the fever will lessen) or undergo systemic multi-organ failure. Mortality rates are generally high, ranging from 50% - 90%. The cause of death is usually due to hypovolemic shock or organ failure.[1]

Filoviruses replicate well in a wide range of organs and cell types such as hepatocytes, epithelial cells, fibroblasts, fibroblastic reticular cells and adrenal cortical cells.[2] Most notably, the susceptibility of human endothelial cells is likely the cause of the symptoms that appear in the late stages of the infection such as shock syndrome and hemorrhaging.[2]

References

  1. Bray, Mike (2005). "Ebola virus: The role of macrophages and dendritic cells in the pathogenesis of Ebola hemorrhagic fever". International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology. 37 (8): 1560–1566. doi:10.1016/j.biocel.2005.02.018. Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (help)
  2. 2.0 2.1