Ebola history and symptoms
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Michael Maddaleni, B.S.
Overview
Ebola hemorrhagic fever is potentially lethal and encompasses a range of symptoms including fever, chills vomiting, diarrhea, generalized pain or malaise, and sometimes internal and external bleeding, that follow an incubation period of 2-21 days.
Case definition recommendations
- Standard case definition recommended by WHO-AFRO for the notification of Ebola or Marburg cases:[1]
- Suspected Ebola or Marburg cases for routine surveillance: Illness with onset of fever and no response to treatment for usual causes of fever in the area, and at least one of the following signs: bloody diarrhea, bleeding from gums, bleeding into skin (purpura), bleeding into eyes and urine.
- Confirmed Ebola or Marburg cases for routine surveillance: A suspected case with laboratory confirmation (positive IgM antibody, positive PCR or viral isolation).
History and Symptoms
Symptoms are varied and often appear suddenly. Two clinical phases can be observed:[2][3][4]
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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.
References
- ↑ "Case definition recommendations for Ebola or Marburg Virus Diseases" (PDF).
- ↑ Ndambi R, Akamituna P, Bonnet MJ, Tukadila AM, Muyembe-Tamfum JJ, Colebunders R (1999). "Epidemiologic and clinical aspects of the Ebola virus epidemic in Mosango, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 1995". J Infect Dis. 179 Suppl 1: S8–10. doi:10.1086/514297. PMID 9988156.
- ↑ Bwaka MA, Bonnet MJ, Calain P, Colebunders R, De Roo A, Guimard Y; et al. (1999). "Ebola hemorrhagic fever in Kikwit, Democratic Republic of the Congo: clinical observations in 103 patients". J Infect Dis. 179 Suppl 1: S1–7. doi:10.1086/514308. PMID 9988155.
- ↑ Feldmann H, Geisbert TW (2011). "Ebola haemorrhagic fever". Lancet. 377 (9768): 849–62. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(10)60667-8. PMC 3406178. PMID 21084112.