Overview
- Ebola is a severe zoonotic viral disease caused by Orthoebolavirus species, including Ebola, Sudan, and Bundibugyo viruses.
- The disease has an average fatality rate of around 50%, although some outbreaks have reported mortality rates as high as 90%.
- Major Ebola outbreaks have primarily occurred in Central, West, and East Africa, placing significant pressure on fragile healthcare systems.
- Ebola viruses belong to the Filoviridae family and are filamentous, single-stranded RNA viruses that cause severe systemic infection.
- Fruit bats are believed to be the natural reservoir of the virus, with spillover to humans occurring through contact with infected wildlife.
- Human transmission mainly occurs through direct contact with infected body fluids, contaminated surfaces, or infected corpses.
- High-risk transmission settings include healthcare facilities without proper protection and traditional burial practices involving direct contact with bodies.
- Symptoms usually begin with fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, and sore throat before progressing to severe gastrointestinal and systemic complications.
- Severe Ebola disease can lead to shock, organ failure, coagulopathy, and hemorrhagic manifestations, although visible bleeding is not always present.
- Survivors may experience long-term complications such as chronic fatigue, joint pain, vision problems, and mental health effects.
- Environmental changes and increased human interaction with wildlife may contribute to the growing risk of Ebola spillover events.
- Continued surveillance, rapid outbreak response, and public health preparedness remain essential to reducing the global impact of Ebola disease.
By Global Health Press
