> - Ebola is viral *hemorrhagic fever* disease of humans and primates with a high mortality. Bats are thought to serve as the animal reservoir and humans initially get infected by consuming bushmeat (bats, gorillas, chimpanzees, shrews, and duikers). > - Once infected, **human-to-human transmission** occurs via contact with infectious blood or bodily fluids including mucus, feces, vomit, saliva, breastmilk, semen, and possibly sweat. Blood, vomit, and feces are the most infectious fluids. Dead bodies may also be infectious, exposing those who prepare and touch the body during burial ceremonies to risk of infection. > - Ebola viruses are closely related to the Marburg virus, another filovirus that causes outbreaks of viral hemorrhagic fever **vector**: fruit bats **incubation:** 2-21 days **cause:** ebola virus **Diagnosis:** ELISA, IgM/IgG, virus isolation, immunohistochemistry, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests are available to confirm the diagnosis. **Treatment:** supportive # Signs and symptoms - Initial symptoms are flu-like and include fever, chills, malaise, weakness, headache, and myalgia. - Next, patients develop nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhea, abdominal pain, and a maculopapular rash. - Severe disease can cause renal failure, transaminitis, [[DIC]], and hemorrhage. Signs of hemorrhage include hematochezia, petechiae, bruising, mucosal bleeding, and hematemesis