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Emergency Medicine233 papers

Ebola virus disease

Last edited: 4/14/2026

Overview

Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe, often fatal illness caused by the Ebola virus, characterized by high fever, severe headache, muscle pain, weakness, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and unexplained hemorrhage. It is highly transmissible, particularly in healthcare settings 324.

Diagnosis

  • Clinical Criteria: High fever, severe headache, muscle pain, weakness, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, unexplained hemorrhage 3.
  • Laboratory Tests: RT-PCR testing of blood samples for viral RNA detection 3.
  • Imaging: Chest X-rays may show pulmonary edema or infiltrates 38.
  • Special Considerations: Rapid diagnostic tests available but RT-PCR remains gold standard 3.

    • Management

  • Supportive Care: Fluid and electrolyte management, maintenance of oxygen status, and treatment of complications such as shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation 338.
  • Isolation and Infection Control: Strict adherence to personal protective equipment (PPE) protocols to prevent nosocomial transmission 333.
  • Experimental Therapies: Use of convalescent plasma, monoclonal antibodies (e.g., mAb114, REGN-EB3) under emergency use authorization 1015.
  • Vaccination: Consideration of experimental vaccines in outbreak settings, though currently no widely licensed vaccine available 16.

    • Special Populations

  • Pregnancy: Limited data; supportive care critical; maternal-fetal outcomes remain concerning 29.
  • Pediatrics: Higher case fatality rates observed; tailored supportive care essential 24.
  • Elderly: Increased risk of severe complications; individualized supportive care required 24.
  • Comorbidities: Patients with underlying conditions may experience more severe disease; close monitoring and supportive care crucial 24.

    • Key Recommendations

  • Implement strict infection control measures to prevent healthcare-associated transmission (Evidence: Strong 333).
  • Utilize supportive care measures including fluid resuscitation and management of organ failure (Evidence: Strong 338).
  • Consider experimental therapies and vaccines under emergency use protocols in outbreak settings (Evidence: Moderate 101516).
  • Prioritize rapid diagnostic testing to confirm cases and guide isolation protocols (Evidence: Moderate 3).
  • Enhance community engagement and surveillance systems for early detection and containment (Evidence: Moderate 59).
  • Strengthen health information systems to accurately track patient data during emergencies (Evidence: Moderate 17).

    • References

    1 Anfaara FW, Lawson ES, Luginaah I. Similar health emergencies, different commitments: Comparative strategies to end Ebola and COVID-19 in "post-conflict" Liberia. Social science & medicine (1982) 2025. link 2 Gordon BG, Lowe AE, Kratochvil CJ. Rapid Review of Therapy Protocols for Public Health Emergencies. Ethics & human research 2024. link 3 Chavez S, Koyfman A, Gottlieb M, Brady WJ, Carius BM, Liang SY et al.. Ebola virus disease: A review for the emergency medicine clinician. The American journal of emergency medicine 2023. link 4 Boland ST, Balabanova D, Mayhew S. Examining the militarised hierarchy of Sierra Leone's Ebola response and implications for decision making during public health emergencies. Globalization and health 2023. link 5 Abramowitz S, Stevens LA, Kyomba G, Mayaka S, Grépin KA. Data flows during public health emergencies in LMICs: A people-centered mapping of data flows during the 2018 ebola epidemic in Equateur, DRC. Social science & medicine (1982) 2023. link 6 Abiri OT, Bah AJ, Lahai M, Lisk DR, Komeh JP, Johnson J et al.. Regulating clinical trials in a resource-limited setting during the Ebola public health emergency in Sierra Leone. Trials 2022. link 7 Bentahir M, Barry MD, Koulemou K, Gala JL. Providing On-Site Laboratory and Biosafety Just-In-Time Training Inside a Box-Based Laboratory during the West Africa Ebola Outbreak: Supporting Better Preparedness for Future Health Emergencies. International journal of environmental research and public health 2022. link 8 Barbiero VK. Ebola: A Hyperinflated Emergency. Global health, science and practice 2020. link 9 Jalloh MF, Sengeh P, James N, Bah S, Jalloh MB, Owen K et al.. Integrated digital system for community engagement and community-based surveillance during the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone: lessons for future health emergencies. BMJ global health 2020. link 10 Asundi A, Bhadelia N. Making Emergency Use of Experimental Vaccines Safer. AMA journal of ethics 2020. link 11 Vos SC, Sutton J, Gibson CB, Butts CT. #Ebola: Emergency Risk Messages on Social Media. Health security 2020. link 12 London AJ. Social value, clinical equipoise, and research in a public health emergency. Bioethics 2019. link 13 Schachter M. Ethical aspects of collateral clinical services by non-credentialled personnel in international medical crises. Internal medicine journal 2019. link 14 Dean NE, Gsell PS, Brookmeyer R, De Gruttola V, Donnelly CA, Halloran ME et al.. Design of vaccine efficacy trials during public health emergencies. Science translational medicine 2019. link 15 Johnstone PW, Eder MK, Newton A, Bentley N, Rufus I. The West African Ebola emergency and reconstruction; lessons from Public Health England. British medical bulletin 2019. link 16 Walldorf JA, Cloessner EA, Hyde TB, MacNeil A. Considerations for use of Ebola vaccine during an emergency response. Vaccine 2019. link 17 Oza S, Wing K, Sesay AA, Boufkhed S, Houlihan C, Vandi L et al.. Improving health information systems during an emergency: lessons and recommendations from an Ebola treatment centre in Sierra Leone. BMC medical informatics and decision making 2019. link 18 Turner AK, Wages RK, Nadeau K, Edison L, Prince PF, Doss ER et al.. The Infectious Disease Network (IDN): Development and Use for Evaluation of Potential Ebola Cases in Georgia. Disaster medicine and public health preparedness 2018. link 19 Nguyen VK, Mikolajczyk R, Hernandez-Vargas EA. High-resolution epidemic simulation using within-host infection and contact data. BMC public health 2018. link 20 Widder A. On the usefulness of set-membership estimation in the epidemiology of infectious diseases. Mathematical biosciences and engineering : MBE 2018. link 21 Desclaux A, Touré A. Preparation needed for the social dimensions of epidemics in Africa: Experience from a training session in Conakry. Medecine et sante tropicales 2018. link 22 Lawrance BN. Ebola's Would-be Refugees: Performing Fear and Navigating Asylum During a Public Health Emergency. Medical anthropology 2018. link 23 Brett-Major D, Lawler J. Catching Chances: The Movement to Be on the Ground and Research Ready before an Outbreak. Viruses 2018. link 24 Delgado R, Simón F. Transmission, Human Population, and Pathogenicity: the Ebola Case in Point. Microbiology spectrum 2018. link 25 Ellenberg SS, Keusch GT, Babiker AG, Edwards KM, Lewis RJ, Lundgren JD et al.. Rigorous Clinical Trial Design in Public Health Emergencies Is Essential. Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2018. link 26 Shin YA, Yeo J, Jung K. The Effectiveness of International Non-Governmental Organizations' Response Operations during Public Health Emergency: Lessons Learned from the 2014 Ebola Outbreak in Sierra Leone. International journal of environmental research and public health 2018. link 27 Berry K, Allen T, Horan RD, Shogren JF, Finnoff D, Daszak P. The Economic Case for a Pandemic Fund. EcoHealth 2018. link 28 Bain LE, Ngwain CG, Nwobegahay J, Sumboh JG, Nditanchou R, Awah PK. Research Ethics Committees (RECs) and epidemic response in low and middle income countries. The Pan African medical journal 2018. link 29 Leno NN, Delamou A, Koita Y, Diallo TS, Kaba A, Delvaux T et al.. Ebola virus disease outbreak in Guinea: what effects on prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV services?. Reproductive health 2018. link 30 Abir M, Moore M, Chamberlin M, Koenig KL, Hirshon JM, Singh C et al.. Using Timely Survey-Based Information Networks to Collect Data on Best Practices for Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response: Illustrative Case From the American College of Emergency Physicians' Ebola Surveys. Disaster medicine and public health preparedness 2016. link 31 Drew JL, Turner J, Mugele J, Hasty G, Duncan T, Zaiser R et al.. Beating the Spread: Developing a Simulation Analog for Contagious Body Fluids. Simulation in healthcare : journal of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare 2016. link 32 Martin D, Howard J, Agarwal B, Rajalingam Y, Athan B, Bhagani S et al.. Ebola virus disease: the UK critical care perspective. British journal of anaesthesia 2016. link 33 Venkat A, Wolf L, Geiderman JM, Asher SL, Marco CA, McGreevy J et al.. Ethical issues in the response to Ebola virus disease in US emergency departments: a position paper of the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Emergency Nurses Association and the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine. Journal of emergency nursing 2015. link 34 Torres M, Hansen KN, Jerrard D. Ebola: a review for emergency providers. Emergency medicine clinics of North America 2015. link 35 Venkat A, Asher SL, Wolf L, Geiderman JM, Marco CA, McGreevy J et al.. Ethical issues in the response to Ebola virus disease in United States emergency departments: a position paper of the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Emergency Nurses Association, and the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine. Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine 2015. link 36 Vingolo EM, Messano GA, Fragiotta S, Spadea L, Petti S. Ocular Manifestations of Ebola Virus Disease: An Ophthalmologist's Guide to Prevent Infection and Panic. BioMed research international 2015. link 37 Funk DJ, Kumar A. Ebola virus disease: an update for anesthesiologists and intensivists. Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthesie 2015. link 38 Klar G, Funk DJ. Ethical concerns for anesthesiologists during an Ebola threat. Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthesie 2015. link 39 Rosoff PM. Caring for the suffering: meeting the Ebola crisis responsibly. The American journal of bioethics : AJOB 2015. link 40 Sueblinvong V, Johnson DW, Weinstein GL, Connor MJ, Crozier I, Liddell AM et al.. Critical Care for Multiple Organ Failure Secondary to Ebola Virus Disease in the United States. Critical care medicine 2015. link 41 Wolf T, Kann G, Becker S, Stephan C, Brodt HR, de Leuw P et al.. Severe Ebola virus disease with vascular leakage and multiorgan failure: treatment of a patient in intensive care. Lancet (London, England) 2015. link62384-9) 42 Erfe JM. Reducing outbreaks: using international governmental risk pools to fund research and development of infectious disease medicines and vaccines. The Yale journal of biology and medicine 2014. link 43 Koenig KL, Majestic C, Burns MJ. Ebola Virus Disease: essential public health principles for clinicians. The western journal of emergency medicine 2014. link

    Original source

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      Similar health emergencies, different commitments: Comparative strategies to end Ebola and COVID-19 in "post-conflict" Liberia. — Anfaara FW, Lawson ES, Luginaah I Social science & medicine (1982) (2025)
    2. [2]
      Rapid Review of Therapy Protocols for Public Health Emergencies. — Gordon BG, Lowe AE, Kratochvil CJ Ethics & human research (2024)
    3. [3]
      Ebola virus disease: A review for the emergency medicine clinician. — Chavez S, Koyfman A, Gottlieb M, Brady WJ, Carius BM, Liang SY et al. The American journal of emergency medicine (2023)
    4. [4]
      Examining the militarised hierarchy of Sierra Leone's Ebola response and implications for decision making during public health emergencies. — Boland ST, Balabanova D, Mayhew S Globalization and health (2023)
    5. [5]
      Data flows during public health emergencies in LMICs: A people-centered mapping of data flows during the 2018 ebola epidemic in Equateur, DRC. — Abramowitz S, Stevens LA, Kyomba G, Mayaka S, Grépin KA Social science & medicine (1982) (2023)
    6. [6]
      Regulating clinical trials in a resource-limited setting during the Ebola public health emergency in Sierra Leone. — Abiri OT, Bah AJ, Lahai M, Lisk DR, Komeh JP, Johnson J et al. Trials (2022)
    7. [7]
      Providing On-Site Laboratory and Biosafety Just-In-Time Training Inside a Box-Based Laboratory during the West Africa Ebola Outbreak: Supporting Better Preparedness for Future Health Emergencies. — Bentahir M, Barry MD, Koulemou K, Gala JL International journal of environmental research and public health (2022)
    8. [8]
      Ebola: A Hyperinflated Emergency. — Barbiero VK Global health, science and practice (2020)
    9. [9]
      Integrated digital system for community engagement and community-based surveillance during the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone: lessons for future health emergencies. — Jalloh MF, Sengeh P, James N, Bah S, Jalloh MB, Owen K et al. BMJ global health (2020)
    10. [10]
      Making Emergency Use of Experimental Vaccines Safer. — Asundi A, Bhadelia N AMA journal of ethics (2020)
    11. [11]
      #Ebola: Emergency Risk Messages on Social Media. — Vos SC, Sutton J, Gibson CB, Butts CT Health security (2020)
    12. [12]
      Social value, clinical equipoise, and research in a public health emergency. — London AJ Bioethics (2019)
    13. [13]
      Ethical aspects of collateral clinical services by non-credentialled personnel in international medical crises. — Schachter M Internal medicine journal (2019)
    14. [14]
      Design of vaccine efficacy trials during public health emergencies. — Dean NE, Gsell PS, Brookmeyer R, De Gruttola V, Donnelly CA, Halloran ME et al. Science translational medicine (2019)
    15. [15]
      The West African Ebola emergency and reconstruction; lessons from Public Health England. — Johnstone PW, Eder MK, Newton A, Bentley N, Rufus I British medical bulletin (2019)
    16. [16]
      Considerations for use of Ebola vaccine during an emergency response. — Walldorf JA, Cloessner EA, Hyde TB, MacNeil A Vaccine (2019)
    17. [17]
      Improving health information systems during an emergency: lessons and recommendations from an Ebola treatment centre in Sierra Leone. — Oza S, Wing K, Sesay AA, Boufkhed S, Houlihan C, Vandi L et al. BMC medical informatics and decision making (2019)
    18. [18]
      The Infectious Disease Network (IDN): Development and Use for Evaluation of Potential Ebola Cases in Georgia. — Turner AK, Wages RK, Nadeau K, Edison L, Prince PF, Doss ER et al. Disaster medicine and public health preparedness (2018)
    19. [19]
      High-resolution epidemic simulation using within-host infection and contact data. — Nguyen VK, Mikolajczyk R, Hernandez-Vargas EA BMC public health (2018)
    20. [20]
      On the usefulness of set-membership estimation in the epidemiology of infectious diseases. — Widder A Mathematical biosciences and engineering : MBE (2018)
    21. [21]
      Preparation needed for the social dimensions of epidemics in Africa: Experience from a training session in Conakry. — Desclaux A, Touré A Medecine et sante tropicales (2018)
    22. [22]
      Ebola's Would-be Refugees: Performing Fear and Navigating Asylum During a Public Health Emergency. — Lawrance BN Medical anthropology (2018)
    23. [23]
      Catching Chances: The Movement to Be on the Ground and Research Ready before an Outbreak. — Brett-Major D, Lawler J Viruses (2018)
    24. [24]
      Transmission, Human Population, and Pathogenicity: the Ebola Case in Point. — Delgado R, Simón F Microbiology spectrum (2018)
    25. [25]
      Rigorous Clinical Trial Design in Public Health Emergencies Is Essential. — Ellenberg SS, Keusch GT, Babiker AG, Edwards KM, Lewis RJ, Lundgren JD et al. Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (2018)
    26. [26]
      The Effectiveness of International Non-Governmental Organizations' Response Operations during Public Health Emergency: Lessons Learned from the 2014 Ebola Outbreak in Sierra Leone. — Shin YA, Yeo J, Jung K International journal of environmental research and public health (2018)
    27. [27]
      The Economic Case for a Pandemic Fund. — Berry K, Allen T, Horan RD, Shogren JF, Finnoff D, Daszak P EcoHealth (2018)
    28. [28]
      Research Ethics Committees (RECs) and epidemic response in low and middle income countries. — Bain LE, Ngwain CG, Nwobegahay J, Sumboh JG, Nditanchou R, Awah PK The Pan African medical journal (2018)
    29. [29]
      Ebola virus disease outbreak in Guinea: what effects on prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV services? — Leno NN, Delamou A, Koita Y, Diallo TS, Kaba A, Delvaux T et al. Reproductive health (2018)
    30. [30]
      Using Timely Survey-Based Information Networks to Collect Data on Best Practices for Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response: Illustrative Case From the American College of Emergency Physicians' Ebola Surveys. — Abir M, Moore M, Chamberlin M, Koenig KL, Hirshon JM, Singh C et al. Disaster medicine and public health preparedness (2016)
    31. [31]
      Beating the Spread: Developing a Simulation Analog for Contagious Body Fluids. — Drew JL, Turner J, Mugele J, Hasty G, Duncan T, Zaiser R et al. Simulation in healthcare : journal of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (2016)
    32. [32]
      Ebola virus disease: the UK critical care perspective. — Martin D, Howard J, Agarwal B, Rajalingam Y, Athan B, Bhagani S et al. British journal of anaesthesia (2016)
    33. [33]
      Ethical issues in the response to Ebola virus disease in US emergency departments: a position paper of the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Emergency Nurses Association and the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine. — Venkat A, Wolf L, Geiderman JM, Asher SL, Marco CA, McGreevy J et al. Journal of emergency nursing (2015)
    34. [34]
      Ebola: a review for emergency providers. — Torres M, Hansen KN, Jerrard D Emergency medicine clinics of North America (2015)
    35. [35]
      Ethical issues in the response to Ebola virus disease in United States emergency departments: a position paper of the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Emergency Nurses Association, and the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine. — Venkat A, Asher SL, Wolf L, Geiderman JM, Marco CA, McGreevy J et al. Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (2015)
    36. [36]
      Ocular Manifestations of Ebola Virus Disease: An Ophthalmologist's Guide to Prevent Infection and Panic. — Vingolo EM, Messano GA, Fragiotta S, Spadea L, Petti S BioMed research international (2015)
    37. [37]
      Ebola virus disease: an update for anesthesiologists and intensivists. — Funk DJ, Kumar A Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthesie (2015)
    38. [38]
      Ethical concerns for anesthesiologists during an Ebola threat. — Klar G, Funk DJ Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthesie (2015)
    39. [39]
      Caring for the suffering: meeting the Ebola crisis responsibly. — Rosoff PM The American journal of bioethics : AJOB (2015)
    40. [40]
      Critical Care for Multiple Organ Failure Secondary to Ebola Virus Disease in the United States. — Sueblinvong V, Johnson DW, Weinstein GL, Connor MJ, Crozier I, Liddell AM et al. Critical care medicine (2015)
    41. [41]
      Severe Ebola virus disease with vascular leakage and multiorgan failure: treatment of a patient in intensive care. — Wolf T, Kann G, Becker S, Stephan C, Brodt HR, de Leuw P et al. Lancet (London, England) (2015)
    42. [42]
      Reducing outbreaks: using international governmental risk pools to fund research and development of infectious disease medicines and vaccines. — Erfe JM The Yale journal of biology and medicine (2014)
    43. [43]
      Ebola Virus Disease: essential public health principles for clinicians. — Koenig KL, Majestic C, Burns MJ The western journal of emergency medicine (2014)
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