EBOLA
Ebola disease is caused by a group of viruses, known as orthoebolaviruses. It affects both humans and animals and spreads through close contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated materials.
Clinicians should be aware of this outbreak and should consider EBOD when assessing unwell patients presenting where there is a history of travel to the DRC, Uganda, or to other countries where there is a risk of EBOD, or a link to a suspected case, within 21 days before onset of illness. Please use ACDP viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) risk assessment algorithm to assess patients.
Symptoms of Ebola
Symptoms of Ebola can appear suddenly between 2 and 21 days after being infected.
Initial symptoms
Initially symptoms are flu-like, and can include:
- a high temperature
- extreme tiredness
- muscle aches
- sore throat
- a headache
Other symptoms that can follow
- vomiting
- diarrhoea and stomach pain
- a skin rash
- bruising
- yellowing of the skin and eyes
In more severe cases, Ebola can cause bleeding as it progresses. This may include blood in poo and bleeding from different parts of the body
Management of suspected Ebola cases
If a patient has recently travelled to any of the affected countries and presents with diarrhoea, vomiting or flu like symptoms, please contact the Southmead Infectious Diseases team or the on-call Microbiologist for further advice.
Please use the link below for contact details:
Imported Fever Service (IFS) : 0844 778 8990 to discuss testing and management (available 24/7).
Affected countries
These countries include:
- Rwanda
- Kenya
- Tanzania
- Angola
- Burundi
- the Central African Republic
- the Republic of Congo
- Ethiopia
- South Sudan
- Zambia
Further information
Please refer the following links for further information.