How does Ebola spread?
Ebola infection can occur in many ways. Its brief information is given below-
It spreads by direct contact with animals infected with Ebola virus such as monkeys, bats or pigs, etc., or sweat, saliva, infected blood, or feces of an infected patient.
Sex with infected person.
Contact with the body of a suspected person.
From infected needle / needle.
Things like clothes, utensils, towels etc. coming in contact with an infected person.
Semen / semen of such patients who are able to recover after Ebola infection can spread Ebola infection for next 7 weeks.
The good thing is that the infection of Ebola virus is not spread through air (airborne), its infection occurs only when it comes in direct contact with the patient.
What are the symptoms of Ebola?
The Ebola virus infection starts spreading in the body in 2 to 21 days (incubation period). Symptoms of Ebola are given below:
First 7 to 9 days (initial round)
fever
head ache
Weakness
Diarrhea
Eyes turn red
Sore throat
Muscle weakness or stiffness
10 days
high fever
Blood vomit
Passive behavior
11 days
Skin injury or blood clotting under the skin
Bleeding from the eye, name, mouth, or rectum
Brain damage
12 days (last leg)
to faint
throw a fit
Excessive bleeding inside the body
Finally death
Source: US Center of Disease and Control, B.B.C.
Test for diagnosis of Ebola
The following tests / laboratory tests are done to diagnose Ebola:
Antibody-capture enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
Antigen detection test
Serum neutralization test
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT -PCR) Essay
Electron microscopy
Virus isolation