Ebola

Overview

How can I get sick? 

Scientists think people are first infected with EVD by touching a sick animal, such as a fruit bat or nonhuman primate. After that, the virus spreads from person to person and can make many people sick. 

Other ways Ebola is spread:  

• Blood or body fluids (spit, sweat, poop, pee, throw up) from a person who is sick with or has died from EVD. 
• Items such as clothes and bedding from a person who is sick or has died from EVD. 

Symptoms in humans: 

Main symptoms include:  

• Fever (when your body gets a little hotter than normal) 

• Aches and pains 
• Very bad headache 
• Weakness and feeling very tired 
• Sore throat 
• Not feeling hungry 
• Stomach pain,  
• Diarrhea (runny poop) 
• Throwing up 
• Bleeding or bruising for no reason 
• Red eyes 
• Skin rash 
• Hiccups 

What can I do to stay healthy? 

When traveling to places where there is EVD there are many ways to protect yourself and to not spread the disease:  

• Do not touch blood and body fluids (pee, poop, spit, sweat, and throw up) of people who are sick.  
• Do not touch items that may have touched a sick person’s blood or body fluids.  
• Do not touch bats or nonhuman primates (such as monkeys or chimpanzees) or their blood or body fluids. 
• Do not touch or eat raw meat made from bats, primates*, or other unknown animals.  

Ebola Vaccine 

There is a vaccine* available, please see your doctor for more information. The vaccine* is recommended for adults 18 years or older: 

• Adults going to help during an outbreak of EVD. 
• Lab workers or other people working with EVD in the United States. 
• Healthcare workers in Ebola Treatment Centers in the United States.  

*Definitions:

• Primates: A group of mammals such as monkeys, lemurs, or apes.  
• Vaccines: Shots given to humans and animals to keep them healthy and safe.