Ebola facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ebola |
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Two nurses stand beside Mayinga N'Seka, a nurse with Ebola virus disease, during the 1976 outbreak in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). N'Seka was treated, but ultimately died a few days later.
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| Synonyms | Ebola haemorrhagic fever (EHF), Ebola virus disease (EBV) |
| Specialty | Lua error in Module:Wikidata at line 70: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Patient UK | Ebola |
Ebola is a serious illness caused by tiny germs called ebolaviruses. It affects humans and some other animals, like monkeys. People usually start feeling sick between two days and three weeks after getting infected.
The first signs of Ebola are often a fever, sore throat, muscle pain, and headaches. Later, people might vomit, have diarrhea, get a rash, and their liver and kidneys might not work well. Some people may also start to bleed inside and outside their bodies. Sadly, about half of the people who get Ebola do not survive, but this number can change depending on the type of virus and how quickly treatment starts.
Ebola outbreaks have happened many times in parts of Africa since 1976. The biggest outbreak was in West Africa from 2013 to 2016. The virus spreads through direct contact with body fluids, like blood, from an infected person or animal. It can also spread from touching things that have been recently contaminated with these fluids. Scientists believe that fruit bats can carry the virus without getting sick themselves.
Doctors diagnose Ebola by testing blood samples for the virus. To control outbreaks, medical teams work together to find sick people quickly, care for them, and trace anyone they might have been in contact with. Preventing Ebola involves wearing special protective gear, washing hands, and safely handling wild animal meat. There are now some treatments and a vaccine that can help improve the chances of survival.
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What Causes Ebola?
Ebola in humans is caused by four types of viruses from a group called Ebolavirus. These four are Bundibugyo ebolavirus, Sudan ebolavirus, Taï Forest ebolavirus, and Zaire ebolavirus. The Zaire ebolavirus is the most dangerous and has caused the most outbreaks. There are two other types of ebolaviruses that do not seem to make humans sick, but they can affect other animals like monkeys. All these viruses are related to another group of viruses called marburgviruses.
Where Do Ebola Viruses Come From?
Ebolaviruses are tiny, thread-like particles. They can look like a shepherd's crook, a "U" shape, or a "6". They are very small, about 80 nanometers wide and up to 14,000 nanometers long. These viruses have a simple genetic code made of RNA.
When an ebolavirus enters a cell, it attaches to the cell's surface. Then, it merges with the cell's outer layer and releases its genetic material inside. The virus then uses the cell's machinery to make many copies of itself. These new viruses then leave the cell to infect other cells, continuing the cycle.
It is not completely clear how Ebola first spreads from animals to humans. However, it is thought to happen through direct contact with an infected wild animal or fruit bat. Besides bats, other wild animals that can get infected include monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas, and a type of antelope called duikers.
Animals might get infected by eating fruit that bats carrying the virus have already partially eaten. Changes in the environment, like cutting down forests, can bring wild animals closer to human communities. This can increase the chances of the virus spreading from animals to people.
Scientists believe that bats are the main carriers of the Ebola virus. Three types of fruit bats have been found to carry the virus without getting sick themselves. This means bats can be a "reservoir" for the virus, keeping it alive in nature.
How Does Ebola Spread?
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Ebola spreads between people through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of someone who is sick. These body fluids can include saliva, mucus, vomit, feces, sweat, tears, breast milk, and urine. The virus can enter the body through the nose, mouth, eyes, or any cuts or open wounds on the skin.
The virus can also spread if someone touches surfaces or objects that have been contaminated with infected body fluids. Needles and syringes are especially risky if they are not clean. The virus can survive on objects for a few hours when dry, and for a few days in body fluids outside the body.
People who have recovered from Ebola are generally not infectious. However, the virus can sometimes stay in certain body fluids for several months after recovery. This means that close personal contact with these fluids could potentially lead to new infections.
Dead bodies of people who had Ebola are still infectious. This means that people who handle human remains, especially during traditional burial ceremonies, are at risk if they do not take proper precautions.
Early Signs
The illness often begins suddenly, feeling a lot like the flu. People might feel very tired, weak, and have a fever. They can also have muscle and joint pain, headaches, and a sore throat. Their appetite might decrease. The fever is usually quite high.
Soon after these first signs, people might start to feel sick to their stomach. This can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain. Sometimes, they might even get hiccups. Severe vomiting and diarrhea can cause serious dehydration, meaning the body loses too much water.
Later, some people might have trouble breathing or feel chest pain. They could also experience swelling, more headaches, and feel confused. About half of those infected develop a red rash with small bumps on their skin, usually five to seven days after symptoms begin.
Later Symptoms and Bleeding
In some cases, people with Ebola may experience bleeding. This can happen both inside and outside the body, usually starting five to seven days after the first symptoms. The virus affects how blood clots, making it harder for the body to stop bleeding.
Small red spots, bruises, or larger blood collections under the skin can also appear. Bleeding into the whites of the eyes is also possible. Very heavy bleeding is not common, but if it happens, it is usually in the stomach and intestines.
Recovery or Challenges
If a person recovers, they might start feeling better within 7 to 14 days after the first symptoms. However, if the illness is very severe, death can occur, usually between 6 and 16 days after symptoms start. This is often due to the body losing too much fluid, leading to a dangerous drop in blood pressure.
People who survive Ebola can sometimes have long-lasting problems. These might include muscle and joint pain, liver issues, and hearing loss. They might also feel tired and weak for a long time, have less appetite, and struggle to regain their normal weight. Vision problems can also develop.
Survivors develop special protective cells called antibodies that can last for at least 10 years. However, it is not fully known if these antibodies make them completely safe from getting infected again.
How Do Doctors Diagnose Ebola?
When doctors suspect Ebola, they consider a person's travel history, work, and any contact with wildlife. This helps them decide if further tests are needed.
Doctors can look for certain signs in blood tests. These might include a low number of platelets (cells that help blood clot) or changes in white blood cell counts. They might also see elevated levels of liver enzymes or problems with blood clotting.
To confirm Ebola, doctors look for the virus itself, its genetic material (RNA), or antibodies against the virus in a person's blood. Testing for the virus or its RNA is best in the early stages of the illness. Testing for antibodies is more reliable later in the disease or in people who have recovered. During outbreaks, quick tests that give results in 15 minutes have been approved, helping doctors confirm cases faster.
Preventing Ebola
A vaccine called rVSV-ZEBOV was approved in the United States in December 2019. It seems to be very effective about ten days after being given. This vaccine was studied during the 2014-2016 outbreak in Guinea. By 2019, over 100,000 people had received the vaccine. During the Kivu Ebola epidemic from 2018 to 2020, about 345,000 people were vaccinated.
Stopping the Spread
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People who care for those with Ebola must wear special protective clothing. This includes masks, gloves, gowns, and goggles. This gear should cover all exposed skin. These precautions are also important for anyone handling objects that might have been touched by an infected person's body fluids. Healthcare workers receive training on how to put on and take off this equipment correctly.
Sick individuals should be kept separate from others to prevent the virus from spreading. All equipment, medical waste, and surfaces that might have touched body fluids need to be cleaned and disinfected.
Ebolaviruses can be destroyed by heat, for example, by heating them for 30 to 60 minutes at 60°C or boiling them for five minutes. To clean surfaces, special disinfectants like alcohol-based products, bleach, or detergents can be used.
Treating Ebola
Treatment for Ebola mainly focuses on supporting the patient's body while it fights the virus. Getting this supportive care early can greatly increase the chances of survival. This includes making sure the person stays hydrated by drinking special salty and sweet water or getting fluids through an IV.
Doctors also help manage symptoms like pain, nausea, fever, and anxiety. The WHO recommends avoiding medicines like aspirin or ibuprofen for pain, as they can increase the risk of bleeding.
Sometimes, blood products like red blood cells or plasma are used. Doctors might also give medicines to treat any bacterial infections that develop.
In more advanced hospitals, intensive care might be used. This can involve maintaining blood volume and salt balance, and treating any bacterial infections. If kidneys fail, dialysis might be needed.
History of Ebola Outbreaks
Ebola was first identified in 1976 during two outbreaks that happened at the same time. One was in Nzara, a town in South Sudan, and the other was in Yambuku, a village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The disease was named after the Ebola River, which was near the outbreak site in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo).
First Discoveries (1976)
The first known outbreak happened between June and November 1976 in Nzara, South Sudan. It was caused by the Sudan virus. This outbreak infected 284 people and killed 151.
The second outbreak began on August 26, 1976, in Yambuku, Zaire. This one was caused by the Zaire ebolavirus. The first person to get sick was a school headmaster named Mabalo Lokela. He had traveled near the Ebola River. Doctors initially thought he had malaria, but his condition worsened, and he died.
Soon, others who had been in contact with him also died. The government declared the region a quarantine zone, meaning no one could enter or leave. Schools and businesses closed. Researchers, including Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum and Dr. Peter Piot, helped identify the new virus. They later realized that the two outbreaks in Sudan and Zaire were caused by different types of ebolaviruses.
Major Outbreaks Over Time
After 1976, Ebola outbreaks continued to happen in Africa.
- In 1995, another major outbreak occurred in Zaire, affecting 315 people and killing 254.
- In 2000, Uganda had an outbreak that infected 425 people and killed 224.
- In 2003, an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) had a very high death rate, killing 128 out of 143 infected people.
- Between 2007 and 2012, several smaller outbreaks occurred in Uganda and the DRC, caused by different Ebola strains.
The Big West Africa Outbreak (2013-2016)
From December 2013 to January 2016, West Africa experienced the largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded. It started in Guinea and quickly spread to neighboring Liberia and Sierra Leone. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared it an international public health emergency in August 2014.
The outbreak was very challenging because many people got sick quickly over a wide area. Healthcare workers were especially at risk. By December 2015, Guinea was declared free of Ebola transmission. The emergency was officially over in March 2016. A few cases spread outside West Africa during this time, including in the United States, Spain, and the United Kingdom, but these were quickly contained.
Recent Outbreaks (2017-2026)
Ebola outbreaks have continued to occur in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other African nations.
- In May 2017, an outbreak in the DRC resulted in four deaths. It was declared over in July 2017.
- In May 2018, another outbreak in the DRC's Équateur province was reported, including cases in the city of Mbandaka. This outbreak was declared over in July 2018.
- From August 2018 to June 2020, the world's second-largest Ebola outbreak occurred in North Kivu province of the DRC. This was the first outbreak in a conflict zone, making medical efforts very difficult. In July 2019, the WHO declared it a global health emergency.
- In June 2020, a new outbreak started in the DRC's Équateur province, which was declared over in November 2020.
- In February 2021, new cases were found in North Kivu, DRC, and in Guinea. Both outbreaks were declared over by May and June 2021, respectively.
- In August 2021, a suspected case in Ivory Coast was later found not to be Ebola.
- In April 2022, a case was confirmed in the DRC's Équateur province, and the outbreak was declared over in July 2022.
- In September 2022, Uganda reported an outbreak of the Ebola Sudan strain, which killed nearly 80 people before being declared over in January 2023.
- As of May 2026, the Democratic Republic of Congo declared its 17th Ebola epidemic in the Ituri province. The WHO Director-General declared this a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. By May 24, 2026, Congolese authorities reported over 900 suspected cases.
