All you need to know about Ebola

Advice provided by the NHS in the UK EBOLA virus disease is a serious, usually fatal, disease for which there are no licensed treatments or vaccines. But for people living in countries outside Africa, it remains a very low threat.

Ebola was first identified in Africa in the mid-1970s. An outbreak that began in March 2014 was the most serious so far. By August 13 2014 it had killed more than 1,000 people across Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. In August 2014, a British nurse who was treating patients in Sierra Leone contracted the Ebola virus and was flown back to the UK for treatment in a London hospital.

How does it spread?

People can become infected with the Ebola virus if they come into contact with the blood, body fluids or organs of an infected person.

Most people are infected by giving care to other infected people, either by directly touching the victim's body or by cleaning up body fluids (stools, urine or vomit) that carry infectious blood.

The Ebola virus can survive for several days outside the body, including on the skin of an infected person. They only then need to touch their mouth to become infected.

Other ways people can catch Ebola are: touching the soiled clothing of an infected person then touching their mouth; having sex with an infected person without using a condom; handling unsterilised needles or medical equipment that were used in the care of the infected person

A person is infectious as long as their blood, urine, stools or secretions contain the virus.

Ebola virus disease is generally not spread through routine social contact (such as shaking hands) with patients who do not have symptoms.

The virus is not, for example, as infectious as diseases like the flu, as airborne transmission is much less likely. You'd need to have close contact with the source of infection to be at risk.

Who is at risk?

Anyone who cares for an infected person or handles their blood or fluid samples is at risk of becoming infected. Hospital workers, laboratory workers and family members are at greatest risk. Strict infection control procedures and wearing protective clothing minimises this risk.

What are the symptoms?

An infected person will typically develop a fever, headache, joint and muscle pain, sore throat, and intense muscle weakness. These symptoms start suddenly, between two and 21 days after becoming infected, but usually after 5-7 days.

Diarrhoea, vomiting, a rash, stomach pain and impaired kidney and liver function follow. The patient then bleeds internally, and may also bleed from the ears, eyes, nose or mouth.

Ebola virus disease is fatal in 50-90% of cases. The sooner a person is given care, the better the chances that they will survive.

How is it treated?

There's currently no licensed treatment or vaccine for Ebola virus disease, although potential new vaccines and drug therapies are being developed and tested.

Patients need to be placed in isolation in intensive care. Dehydration is common, so fluids may be given directly into a vein (intravenously). Blood oxygen levels and blood pressure need to be maintained at the right level and body organs supported while the patient's body fights the disease and any other infections are treated.

ZMapp is an experimental treatment that can be tried, although it has not yet been tested in humans for safety or effectiveness. The product is a combination of three different antibodies that bind to the protein of the Ebola virus.

What's the advice for healthcare

and aid workers?

Any area affected by an outbreak should be immediately quarantined and patients treated in isolation.

Healthcare workers need to avoid contact with the bodily fluids of their infected patients by taking the following precautions: wear face masks, goggles, gowns and gloves; take extra care when handling blood, secretions and catheters and when connecting patients to a drip; disinfect non-disposable medical equipment before re-use; sterilise and dispose of used needles and disposable equipment carefully; properly dispose of any secretions or body waste from the patient; carefully and frequently wash hands with soap and water (alcohol hand rub if soap isn't available); wash disposable gloves with soap and water after use, dispose of them carefully, then wash hands

What's the advice for travellers

in at-risk areas?

Following these simple precautions will minimise your risk of catching Ebola virus disease: don't handle dead animals or their raw meat; don't eat 'bushmeat'; avoid contact with patients who have symptoms; avoid having sex with people in risk areas - use a condom if you do; make sure fruit and veg is washed and peeled before you eat it; wash hands frequently using soap and water (alcohol hand rubs when soap is not available) as this destroys the virus

If you think you or a family member has symptoms of Ebola infection: visit a healthcare provider immediately and inform them that you may have had contact with the Ebola virus. Limit contact with others and avoid all other travel.

What if I think I might have

Ebola?

If you feel unwell with symptoms such as fever, chills, muscle aches, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, sore throat or rash within 21 days of coming back from Guinea, Liberia or Sierra Leone, you should stay at home and immediately telephone the emergency services. They will provide advice and arrange for you to be seen in a hospital if necessary so the cause of your illness can be determined.

There are other illnesses that are much more common than Ebola (such as flu, typhoid fever and malaria) that have similar symptoms in the early stages, so proper medical assessment is really important to ensure you get the right diagnosis and treatment.