Ebola virus disease
Overview
Ebola virus disease is a serious, rare infection usually found in certain parts of Africa. It's caught by coming into contact with the body fluids of an infected person or wild animal.
Symptoms
Ebola symptoms can start between 2 and 21 days after being infected. They can appear suddenly and include flu-like symptoms, such as a high temperature, extreme tiredness and a headache. Other symptoms include: being sickdiarrhoea and tummy paina skin rashyellowing of the skin and eyesblood in your poolots of bruises all over your bodybleeding from your ears, eyes, nose or mouth
Treatment
Ebola is an emergency and needs to be treated quickly. You'll usually be treated in isolation in hospital and will need specialist care in an intensive care unit. Treatment involves managing your symptoms, such as: help with breathingfluids given directly into a vein to stop you becomingdehydrated
Prevention
If you're travelling to an area where Ebola is found, get advice from a travel clinic before you go. It's best to do this at least 4 to 6 weeks before you travel, but you can still get advice at the last minute if you need to. wash your hands regularly wash your hands regularly wash and peel fruit and vegetables before eating them wash and peel fruit and vegetables before eating them try to avoid anyone who has symptoms of Ebola try to avoid anyone who has symptoms of Ebola use a condom if you have sex with someone who's recovered from Ebola in the last few months use a condom if you have sex with someone who's recovered from Ebola in the last few months do not touch or eat raw or undercooked meat from wild animals in countries where Ebola is found do not touch or eat raw or undercooked meat from wild animals in countries where Ebola is found do not touch a person, their body fluids (such as vomit) or anything they may have come into contact with (such as clothes and bedding) if they've died from Ebola or have Ebola symptoms do not touch a person, their body fluids (such as vomit) or anything they may have come into contact with (such as clothes and bedding) if they've died from Ebola or have Ebola symptoms do not touch the body fluids of someone who has Ebola, or anything they may have come into contact with (such as clothes and bedding) do not touch the body fluids of someone who has Ebola, or anything they may have come into contact with (such as clothes and bedding) do not handle wild animals, especially bats, monkeys, baboons and chimpanzees do not handle wild animals, especially bats, monkeys, baboons and chimpanzees