Is this your symptom?
- You were exposed to someone diagnosed with Ebola
- You traveled to or are living in an area with recent cases of Ebola.
- You have questions about Ebola
Ebola Exposure means:
- You touched a person diagnosed with Ebola. Examples include kissing, hugging, holding hands, and carrying a person. If you are health care provider this includes performing a physical exam.
- You had contact with blood or body fluids of a person with suspected or proven Ebola.
- You handled bats or primates(such as apes, monkeys) in countries that have an Ebola outbreak.
Overview
- Ebola virus disease(EVD or Ebola) is an infection caused by the Ebola virus.
- It is a rare disease in North America, but the death rate can be around 50%.
- The infection is spread human-to-human.
- There are two approved vaccines for one of the Ebola virus diseases at this time. They are used as part of an outbreak response and often given to front-line healthcare workers (World Health Organization).
Symptoms
Symptoms show up 2 to 21 days after exposure to Ebola. The average is 8-10 days. Symptoms are:
- Fever over 101.5 F (38.6 C)
- Muscle pain
- Weakness and/or fatigue (tiredness)
- Headache. severe
- Sore throat
- Loss of appetite
These may be followed by:
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting and nausea
- Bleeding and bruising
How is it Spread?
Ebola can be spread to others. Ebola is spread through direct contact with:
- Blood or body fluids of a person who is sick with Ebola. Body fluids include breast milk, saliva, semen, stool, sweat, urine, and vomit.
- Contact with the dead body of a person who died from Ebola.
- Objects like dirty clothes, bedding, needles and syringes that have blood or body fluid on them.
Ebola can start when infected fluid gets into the eyes, nose or mouth. This mainly happens if infected fluid gets on the hands. Then, the healthy person touches their face with dirty hands. Thus, frequent hand washing is helpful. Rarely, the virus may pass through an open cut on the skin.
People with Ebola do not spread the disease until they become sick and get a fever.
In general, coughing and sneezing are not Ebola symptoms. Therefore, Ebola is usually not spread this way. But, a sick person's cough or sneeze may contain the virus in the spray. If the spray gets into the eyes, nose or mouth, it could transmit the disease.
Ebola is not spread in the water nor in food. There is no evidence that it is spread by mosquitoes or other insects.
One can also get Ebola from infected animals, such as bats and primates (apes, monkeys) in countries where there has been an outbreak of Ebola.
The virus can stay in certain body fluids after a person recovers from Ebola. These include semen and fluids in the eye and around the brain and spine. It is possible for a man who has recovered from Ebola to spread the virus to others through sex.
What Countries have Ebola Outbreaks?
Most patients with Ebola Virus Disease have been to countries in and around the East and Central Africa. They have either lived in or have traveled recently to one of these countries.
The following websites have information on the disease and the countries where Ebola is occurring:
When to Call for Exposure to Ebola
Call 911 Now
Call ER Now
Call Doctor or Seek Care Now
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Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours
Contact Doctor During Office Hours
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Self Care at Home
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Call 911 Now
- You think you have a life-threatening emergency
Call ER Now
- Fever within 21 days of Ebola Exposure
- Stomach pain, diarrhea, or vomiting within 21 days of Ebola Exposure
- Headache within 21 days of Ebola Exposure
- Unexplained bleeding or bruising within 21 days of Ebola Exposure
- Any unusual symptoms (weakness, fatigue/tiredness, loss of appetite) within 21 days of Ebola Exposure
- NOTE: You must phone the ER before you go there. This way the ER will be ready to take care of you and protect others. The ER may send out a special ambulance to get you.
Call Doctor or Seek Care Now
- You feel weak or very sick
- You think you need to be seen, and the problem is urgent
Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours
- Ebola Exposure in the past 21 days and NO fever or other symptoms such as stomach pain, diarrhea, fever, headache, vomiting or bleeding/bruising
- You think you need to be seen, but the problem is not urgent
Contact Doctor During Office Hours
- You have other questions or concerns
Self Care at Home
- Exposure to Ebola more than 21 days ago and No fever or other symptoms
- Questions about Ebola
Care Advice for Stomach Pain
What You Should Know About Stomach Pain:
- Mild stomach pain can be caused by something simple. It could be from gas pains or eating too much.
- Sometimes, stomach pain signals the start of a viral infection. This will lead to vomiting or loose stools.
- Watching your child for 2 hours will help tell you the cause.
- Here is some care advice that should help.
Lie Down:
- Have your child lie down and rest until feeling better.
Clear Fluids:
- Offer clear fluids only (such as water, flat soft drinks or half-strength Gatorade).
- For mild pain, offer a regular diet.
Prepare for Vomiting:
- Keep a vomiting pan handy.
- Younger children often talk about stomach pain when they have nausea. Nausea is the sick stomach feeling that comes before they throw up.
Pass a Stool:
- Have your child sit on the toilet and try to pass a stool.
- This may help if the pain is from constipation or diarrhea.
- Note: for constipation, moving a warm wet cotton ball on the anus may help.
Do Not Give Medicines:
- Any drug (like ibuprofen) could upset the stomach and make the pain worse.
- Do not give any pain medicines or laxatives for stomach cramps.
- For fever higher than 102° F (39° C), acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) can be given.
What to Expect:
- With harmless causes, the pain is most often better or gone in 2 hours.
- With stomach flu, belly cramps may happen before each bout of vomiting or diarrhea. These cramps may come and go for a few days.
- With serious causes (such as appendicitis), the pain worsens and becomes constant.
Call Your Doctor If:
- Pain becomes severe
- Constant pain lasts more than 2 hours
- Mild pain that comes and goes lasts more than 24 hours
- You think your child needs to be seen
- Your child becomes worse
Extra Help - Worried Stomach:
- Help your child talk about events that trigger the stomach pain. Talk to your child about how to cope with these the next time around.
- Help your child worry less about things she can't control.
- To treat the pain, help your child get very relaxed. Lying down in a quiet place and taking slow deep breaths may help. Make the belly go up and down with each breath. Then try to relax all the muscles in the body. Think about something pleasant. Listening to audios that teach how to relax might also help.
- Make sure your child gets enough sleep.
- Make sure that your child doesn't miss any school because of stomach pains. Stressed children tend to want to stay home when the going gets rough.
- Caution: your child should see her doctor for an exam. Do this before concluding frequent stomach pains are from worrying too much.
