Q: What is Ebola?

A: Ebola is a virus carried by bats in remote areas of Africa. It was first discovered in 1976 and named after a river in the Congo. Periodically a human who has contact with wildlife in remote African areas acquires the infection. The virus damages internal body organs and causes death in over half the people infected.

Q: What are the signs and symptoms?

A: Risk for infection would include visiting or working in the West African countries of Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia or Nigeria within the past 21 days and development of fever, headache, diarrhea, bleeding and muscle pain.

Q: How is it diagnosed?

A: Blood tests are done to make the diagnosis.

Q: How is it treated?

A: There is no specific treatment but patients can be made comfortable with supportive care including fluids and rehydration. Experimental antiviral compounds are being tested now.

Q: Who is at risk?

A: It is spread person to person by direct contact with blood, feces or vomit from infected patients. It is not spread in the air.

Q: How can Ebola be prevented?

A: There is no vaccine. Patients suspected of having the virus would be placed in isolation while being tested and cared for.

Q: Have there been any confirmed cases of Ebola in the United States prior to the two Americans returning home? Why is it primarily found in Africa?

A: The current outbreak is much worse in large measure because of the custom in Africa for families to have extensive unprotected contact with sick family members. Infection control practices in the United States and Europe would absolutely prevent Ebola from spreading widely in this country. One important upside to this unfortunate outbreak is the increased research in finding a vaccine and antiviral medication stimulated by the intense focus by the world on this rare disease.

Dr. Rhodes is the chief of infectious diseases at Lehigh Valley Health Network