EBOLA VIRUS

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCE

POLYTECHNIC OF NAMIBIA

WHAT IS EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE (EVD)?

•KNOWN AS EBOLA HEMORRHAGIC FEVER, OFTEN-FATAL DISEASE AND EASILY SPREADS FROM PERSON TO PERSON AND CAN PREVENTED.

HOW IS EBOLA SPREAD•DIRECT CONTACT WITH WOUNDS, BODY FLUIDS

OF INFECTED PERSON OR ANIMAL. • UN-STERILIZED INJECTIONS.• USING SKIN PIERCING INSTRUMENTS THAT HAVE

BEEN USED BY AN INFECTED PERSON.•DIRECT PHYSICAL HANDLING OF PERSONS WHO

HAVE DIED OF EBOLA.• EATING DEAD ANIMALS.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

• INCUBATION PERIOD: 2-21 DAYS •STAGE I• MUSCLE ACHES, FEVER, VOMITING• RED EYES, SKIN RASH, DIARRHEA,

STOMACH PAIN

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS cont…•STAGE II (SPECIFIC):

• BLEEDING/HEMORRHAGING FROM SKIN, OPENINGS, INTERNAL ORGANS

• ANURIA (THE ABSENCE OF URINE FORMATION)

• HICCUPS

• TACHYPNEA (RAPID BREATHING).

PREVENTION• Avoid direct contact with body fluids,

beddings and clothing's.• Do not touch wounds of an infected

person with unprotected hands.• Do not use skin piercing instruments that

have been used on a patient suffering from Ebola.• Avoid eating dead animals especially

monkeys.

PREVENTION CONTINUES…• PERSONS WHO HAVE DIED OF EBOLA MUST BE

HANDLED WITH STRONG PROTECTIVE WEAR AND BURIED IMMEDIATELY.• AFTER HANDLING A PATIENT SUFFERING FROM EBOLA,

YOU MUST WASH YOUR HAND THOROUGHLY WITH SOAP AND WATER.• SUSPECTED PERSON MUST BE KEPT AWAY FROM OTHER

PEOPLE.

TREATMENT•NO STANDARD TREATMENT AVAILABLE • PATIENTS RECEIVE SUPPORTIVE THERAPY:

• TREATING COMPLICATING INFECTIONS •BALANCING PATIENT’S FLUIDS AND

ELECTROLYTES•MAINTAINING OXYGEN STATUS AND BLOOD

PRESSURE

FACTS• CAN BE PREVENTED,• BODY FLUIDS ARE STILL INFECTIONS DAYS AFTER DEATH• HIGHLY INFECTIOUS,• CAN KILL IN SHORT TIME,• NO VACCINE

THANK YOU

QUESTIONS