Ebola
By: Megan Hanes
Description
Diagnosis
Diagnosing it in a person is difficult because the early symptoms, such as fever, are nonspecific to Ebola infection and often are seen in patients with more common diseases. Samples from the patient can be collected and tested to confirm infection. Ebola virus is detected in blood only after onset of symptoms. It may take up to three days after symptoms start for the virus to reach detectable levels.
How is it transmitted?
Relative frequency of the disease
Disease Course
After entering the body, it kills cells making some of them explode. It wrecks the immune system, causes heavy bleeding inside the body, and then damages almost every organ.
Possible Complications
Target Audience
Treatment
No FDA-approved vaccine or medicine is available for this disease. Symptoms of Ebola and complications are treated as they appear. Experimental vaccines and treatments for Ebola are under development, but they have not yet been fully tested for safety or effectiveness.