Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)

Summary

  • National and international health authorities are currently working to control a large, ongoing outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease involving areas in West Africa. A map of affected areas and updated outbreak information is available at http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/guinea.
  • The first case identified in the US was diagnosed on September 30, 2014 in a traveller from Liberia who had contact with an infected person while in Liberia and travelled to Dallas, TX.

Clinical and Epidemiologic Features

  • Ebola is a rare and deadly disease. The disease is native to several African countries and is caused by infection with one of the ebolaviruses (Ebola, Sudan, Bundibugyo, or Taï Forest virus). The natural reservoir host of ebolaviruses remains unknown. However, researchers believe that the virus is zoonotic (animal-borne) with bats being the most likely reservoir.
  • Ebola is spread by direct contact with a sick person’s blood or body fluids. It is also spread by contact with contaminated objects (such as needles) or infected animals.
  • The incubation period (time from exposure to when a person develops symptoms) for Ebola is usually 8–10 days, but could potentially range from 2–21 days.
  • Ebola is NOT transmissible during the incubation period (i.e., before onset of fever).
  • The risk for person-to-person transmission is greatest during the later stages of illness when viral loads are highest.
  • Symptoms include fever, headache, joint and muscle aches, sore throat, and weakness, followed by diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Skin rash, red eyes, and internal and external bleeding may be seen in some patients.

Information for Health Care Workers

Health care providers should be alert for, and evaluate any patient who has had travel during the 21 days before symptom onset from an Ebola-affected area OR had contact with an individual who has Ebola;

AND

Ebola symptoms: fever (including low-grade) headache, weakness, muscle pain, vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue, diarrhea, abdominal pain or hemorrhage.

More guidance for healthcare workers is available here.

Georgia's Public Health Districts

For information on each of Georgia's 18 Public Health Districts, click here.

Information CDC Related Information and Guidance

In addition to the specialized guidance in the menu to the left, visit CDC:

General Ebola Information from CDC
CDC Travel Notices
West Africa Outbreak Updates

This content was updated on 10-24-2014.