Ebola history and symptoms
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
History and Symptoms
Symptoms are varied and often appear suddenly. Initial symptoms include high:
- Fever (at least 38.8°C; 101.8°F)
- Severe headache
- Muscle pain
- Joint pain
- Abdominal pain
- Severe weakness
- Exhaustion
- Sore throat
- Nausea
- Dizziness
Ebola may progress to cause more serious symptoms, such as:
- Diarrhea
- Dark or bloody feces
- Vomiting blood
- Red eyes due to Distension
- Hemorrhage of Sclerotic arterioles
- Petechia
- Maculopapular rash
- Purpura
Other secondary symptoms include:
- Hypotension (less than 90 mm Hg systolic /60 mm Hg diastolic)
- Hypovolemia
- Tachycardia
- Organ damage especially the:
- kidneys
- Spleen
- liver
- as a result of disseminated systemic necrosis, and proteinuria.
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]