What is Ebola virus disease (Ebola hemorrhagic fever)?

Ebola virus disease (Ebola hemorrhagic fever) is an infection caused by the Ebola virus.

It is a disease that is transmitted mainly through contact with the patient's bodily fluids (blood, secretions, vomit/excretion).

Currently, there are no outbreaks of Ebola virus disease in Japan. I'm here.

It is classified as a category 1 infectious disease under the Infectious Diseases Law, and has extremely high infectivity and lethality.

Infection route

Infection occurs mainly when the patient's (infected) blood or bodily fluids (urine, saliva, sweat, feces, vomit, breast milk, semen) come into direct contact with the eyes, nose, mouth, or wounds (open or wounded areas) of an uninfected person. To do. It is also transmitted by touching the bodily fluids of infected animals (such as bats and monkeys) or by eating infected animals.

You cannot spread the infection to others until you develop symptoms.

It is not airborne, so it cannot be transmitted through coughing or sneezing.

symptoms

After an incubation period of 2 to 21 days (usually 7 to 10 days), symptoms such as sudden fever (40°C or higher), headache, muscle pain, and sore throat appear. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhea, multiple organ failure, and in some cases generalized bleeding.

The mortality rate when infected is as high as 80 to 90%, and symptoms rapidly worsen in 2 to 3 days, and death often occurs in about 1 week.

As sequelae, arthralgia, visual impairment, and hearing impairment may be seen.

treatment

No specific treatment has been established. Fluid replacement (infusion) and symptomatic treatment are performed to alleviate symptoms.

It is important to start treatment early.

Preventive measures

There is currently no vaccine against Ebola virus disease.

Not only disinfectants such as alcohol, but also washing with running water and soap are effective in preventing infection.

○Avoid contact with suspected infected people or the deceased, attend funerals in endemic areas, and visit medical institutions as much as possible.

○ Animals (bats, primates, etc.) are also infected, so avoid approaching or touching animal corpses.

○ Eating meat from unreliable wild animals that has not been heat-treated (wild game meat) is extremely dangerous as it can be infected with pathogens other than Ebola virus.

For those planning to travel to or return to areas at risk of Ebola virus infection

If you have traveled to countries where Ebola virus disease has been epidemic (link to an external site) and have developed a fever or other symptoms of illness during or after returning to Japan, please contact the following contact information.

Do not consult a local medical institution on your own judgment.

Consultation contact

When returning home or feeling unwell, such as having a fever, at the airport

List of Quarantine Stations Nationwide (Link to an external site)

When you feel unwell, such as having a fever, after returning to Japan or traveling abroad

• Weekdays 9:00-17:00

・ Kita Ward Public Health Center, Health Prevention Division, Tuberculosis Infectious Disease Section ( Phone: 03-3919-3102)

• Hours other than the above (nighttime, weekends and holidays)

・Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Medical Institution Information Service “Himawari” ( phone number: 03-5272-0303)

Areas at risk of infection

(Reference) Tokyo Metropolitan Infectious Disease Surveillance Center Ebola endemic areas (link to an external site)