Ebola hemorrhagic fever

Definition:

A severe disease transmitted to humans from infected animals and animal materials; it causes severe bleeding abnormalities.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Ebola hemorrhagic fever (Ebola fever) is a virus-caused disease that is limited in area to parts of Africa. It has been made newsworthy worldwide because of its devastatingly destructive potential. The exact mode of transmission is not understood. The incubation period appears to be up to one week at which time the patient develops fatigue, malaise, headache, backache, vomiting, and diarrhea. Within a week a raised (papular) rash appears over the entire body which is often hemorrhagic (contains blood). Hemorrhaging generally occurs from the gastrointestinal tract passing blood from both the mouth and rectum. Mortality is high, reaching 90%.