Ebola virus is an animal-borne virus that was first discovered in 1976 in Africa. It causes Ebola hemorrhagic fever which has severe symptoms attacking every organ except muscle and bone, creating internal and external bleeding. The virus is transmitted through direct contact with body fluids of infected humans or animals. While there is no vaccine yet, several are being tested.

1. Michael Sheer
Feb.13, 2008
Ebola
• Scientific Name: Ebolavirus filoviridae
• Causative Agent: Ebola Virus
• Classification: Envelope Glycoprotien
• Location: The exact natural reservoir of Ebola virus remains unknown. However,
researchers believe that the virus is animal-borne and is normally maintained in an
animal host that is native to the African continent.
• Discovered: 1976, first recognized in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa.

2. Symptoms
• Initial: Initial symptoms include high fever (at least 38.8°C; 101.8°F), severe
headache, muscle, joint, or abdominal pain, severe weakness and exhaustion,
sore throat, nausea, and dizziness.
• Serious: serious symptoms include diarrhea, dark or bloody feces, vomiting
blood, red eyes due to distention and hemorrhage of sclerotic arterioles,
petechia, maculopapular rash, and purpura.
• Affected Organs and Organ Systems: Attacks every organ and tissue in the
human body, except muscle and bone. It creates blood hemorrhages under the
skin, dissolves connective tissue, and destroys the brain.

3. Transmission
• Transmission: The Ebola virus is spread through close personal contact with a
person who is infected with Ebola. Often, infection (in previous outbreaks) has
occurred among hospital care workers or family members who were caring for
an ill or dead person infected with Ebola virus. Blood and body fluids contain
large amounts of virus, thus transmission of the virus has also occurred as a
result of hypodermic needles being reused in the treatment of patients. The
infection of human cases with Ebola virus has been documented through the
handling of infected chimpanzees, gorillas, and forest antelopes both dead and
alive.

4. Interesting Facts
• Severe cases require intensive supportive care, as patients are frequently dehydrated and
in need of intravenous fluids or oral re-hydration with solutions containing electrolytes.
No specific treatment or vaccine is yet available for Ebola hemorrhagic fever. Several
vaccine candidates are being tested but it could be several years before any are
available.
• Within the last 25 years, scientists in Russia, Iraq and several other countries have
created genetically modified organisms of viruses such as Plague, Anthrax and
Tularemia, that are resistant to most antibiotics. Ebola can also be modified for
biological warfare. A small amount of Ebola released into the subways of New York,
Boston or Washington, D.C., could result in hundreds of thousands of deaths within
days. Because there is currently no vaccine for Ebola, the effects of a biological attack
using the Ebola virus would be catastrophic.
• Ebola is a hemorrhagic filovirus shaped like a hockey stick, and belongs to one of four
groups of the category, family Filoviridae.
• Incubation Period: 2-21 days