1. Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever
Jessie Nipp, Kristen Rhodin, Frank Toms

2. What is Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever?
severe, often fatal disease that occurs in humans and nonhuman primates
recognized in 1976
discovered in Africa
Caused by the infection of Ebola Virus

3. Ebola Virus Member of family Filoviridae
Negative, single- stranded RNA
Helical capsid
Pantropic and able to infect a large variety of cells

4. Different Strains of Ebola Virus
There are five subtypes of Ebola Virus, each named for the location of their discovery
Ebola-Zaire
Ebola-Sudan
Ebola-Ivory Coast
Ebola-Bundibugyo
Ebola-Reston
Has only caused infection in nonhuman primates
Isolated in the Philippines

5. Mystery of Ebola Virus Natural Reservoir is currently unknown
Hypothesized that an animal host native to Africa serves as the reservoir
No consistent animal vector for the virus

6. Transmission Mode of Transmission:
the infection caused by the Ebola Virus is transmitted by direct contact with infected fluids (blood, secretions, organs, or semen of those infected)
many health care workers are infected while attending to patients
it is also hypothesized that close contact with infected animals can prompt transmission (scientists working with infected monkey tissue)

7. Diagnosis Lab tests in biohazard facilities:
ELISA - identifies viruses or antibodies to the virus in infected blood
PCR - detects Ebola virus genetic information
Indirect Immunofluorescent assay - detects antigens in infected blood products
Serology (study of blood serum):
involves the detection of immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody, which appears as the viremia fades
Can be performed with an immunofluorescence assay, Western blot, radioimmunoprecipitation, or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) which is most recommended

8. Progression of Disease
Ebola Virus targets macrophages and dendritic cells
Virus is carried to the lymph nodes where is it able to spread into the bloodstream and throughout the body
Infection causes severe disease due to:
rapid viral replication
host immune suppression induced by the virus
vascular dysfunction

9. Onset of Illness Symptoms vary between survivors and nonsurvivors
Large difference in the viral load of patients who die versus patients who survive
Incubation period of days

10. Symptoms
Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever does manifest immediately after infection
Day 6-9
sudden onset of fever
severe headache
malaise
myalgia

11. Symptoms Day 8-11 deterioration severe nausea and vomiting
abdominal pain
diarrhea
pharyngitis
bleeding in gastrointestinal tract and mucous membranes

12. Symptoms Day 13-15 Rash appears and spreads throughout extremities
shock and pulmonary insufficiency
development of respiratory distress syndrome
death is most likely at this stage

13. Treatment No specific treatment available
The development of an inactivated filovirus vaccine has yet to create adequate results
The most effective way to prevent and stop spread of the infection is with barrier isolation and precautions in exchange of bodily fluids.

14. Past Outbreaks Initial Outbreaks 1976 Other Serious Outbreaks:
Yambuku, Dem. Rep. of Congo; 318 cases and 280 deaths
Nzara, Sudan; 284 cases and 151 deaths
Other Serious Outbreaks:
1995- Kikwit, Dem. Rep. of Congo; 315 cases and 250 deaths
2000- Gulu, Uganda; 425 cases and 224 deaths
2002- Mbomo, Rep. of Congo; 143 cases and 128 deaths
2007- Two Outbreaks
Luebo, Dem. Rep. of Congo; 264 cases and 187 deaths
Bundibugyo, Uganda; 149 cases and 37 deaths

15. Map of Distribution of Ebola Hemorrhagic

16. Prevention Efforts Containment:
isolation of patients with suspected cases
strict barrier nursing techniques
hospital staff is supplied with individual gowns, gloves, masks, etc (which are not reused unless disinfected)
Prompt burial:
patients that die from the fever are quickly buried or cremated

17. Prevention Continued Reduction of casual contacts
Surveillance of suspected cases
Contact tracing: due to person-to person transmission, anyone who has close physical contact with someone that is ill should be monitored
Body temps checked twice a day
Immediate hospitalization if a fever reaches more than 101 F

18. Works Cited
Anderson, Rodney P. (2006). Reference material for multisystem zoonoses and vector-borne diseases and pathogens. In, Outbreak: Cases in Real-World Microbiology (pp ). Washington, DC: American Society for Microbiology Press.
Hartman, A. ( ). Ebola and Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever. Clinics in laboratory medicine, 30(1),
US Department of Health and Human Services, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and
Pathology. (2010). Ebola hemorrhagic fever information packet. Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control website:
Weir, Michael R., & Weir, Tracey E. (2002). Marburg and ebola hemorrhagic fevers. In Stephen K. Tyring (Ed.), Mucocutaneous manifestations of viral diseases (pp ). Tyring, Stephen K. (2002). New York, NY: Marcel Dekker, Inc.