Ebola virus how to take care

Although the Ebola virus has been present for more than 35 years, an outbreak occurred in March 2014 that began in West Africa. This outbreak has proven more deadly, severe, and widespread than previous outbreaks.

What Causes Ebola?

The Ebola virus belongs to the viral family Filoviridae. Scientists also call it Filovirus. These virus types cause hemorrhagic fever or profuse bleeding inside and outside the body accompanied by a very high fever. Ebola can be further divided into subtypes that are named for the location they were identified. These include:

• Bundibugyo
• Reston
• Sudan
• Taï Forest (previously known as Ivory Coast)
• Zaire

Disease symptoms include:

diarrhea
fever
headache
muscle pain
stomach pain
vomiting

How to treat

See doctor immediately

• giving medications to maintain blood pressure
• managing electrolyte balances
• providing extra oxygen, if needed
• providing intravenous fluids to prevent dehydration
• treating co-existing infections and preventing other infections from occurring

People’s immune systems can respond differently to Ebola. While some may recover from the virus without complication, others can have residual effects like joint problems.