Ebola virus disease

This clinical review has been developed for The BMJ in collaboration with BMJ Best Practice, based on a regularly updated web/mobile topic that supports evidence-based decision making at the point of care. To view the complete and current version, please refer to the Ebola virus infection topic on the BMJ Best Practice website.Ebola virus disease is a severe, often fatal, zoonotic filovirus infection (fig 1⇓).There are five species: Zaire ebolavirus, Sudan ebolavirus, Taï Forest ebolavirus, Bundibugyo ebolavirus, and Reston ebolavirus.Zaire ebolavirus is responsible for the current outbreak in west Africa, the largest outbreak since the virus was discovered in 1976 (fig 2⇓).Transmission occurs by close contact with body fluids of infected patients.The incubation period after infection is usually 5-9 days, with a range of 1-21 days in 95% or more of patients, 2 3 and patients are not considered infectious until they develop symptoms.The initial presentation is non-specific, which makes early clinical diagnosis difficult.Human infection carries a high case fatality rate depending on the species of Ebola virus and quality of supportive care available.4 5 Ebola virus infection (formerly Ebola haemorrhagic fever) is part of a group of diseases known as viral haemorrhagic fevers.