Quick facts on Ebola
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ebola symptoms, infectious fluids and transmission factors include the following key points:
Symptoms: Sudden onset of fever and malaise, with other nonspecific symptoms such as myalgia, headache, vomiting, and diarrhea. In later stages of the disease, patients may develop multi-organ dysfunction, including hepatic damage, renal failure, and central nervous system involvement, leading to shock and death.
Infectious fluids: In an infected person, the Ebola virus may be present in blood, urine, sweat, semen, and breast milk.
Transmission: Ebola is spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of someone who is symptomatic. The incubation period is usually eight to 10 days, but has had a range of two to 21 days. Transmission can occur when a patient is febrile and throughout the course of the disease, including post-mortem.
