Ebola virus disease

Ebola is caused by a virus caught from wild animals. It spreads from person to person when you touch infected body fluids, such as semen, saliva, blood, poo, pee and vomit.

There have been outbreaks of the virus in Central and West Africa and continues to be a health risk in that region.

It's never been spread from person to person in the UK.

If you're travelling to an area where Ebola is found, get advice from a travel clinic before you go.

It's best to do this at least 4 to 6 weeks before you travel, but you can still get advice at the last minute if you need to.

• wash your hands regularly

• wash and peel fruit and vegetables before eating them

• try to avoid anyone who has symptoms of Ebola

• use a condom if you have sex with someone who's recovered from Ebola in the last few months

• do not touch or eat raw or undercooked meat from wild animals in countries where Ebola is found

• do not touch a person, their body fluids (such as vomit) or anything they may have come into contact with (such as clothes and bedding) if they might have died from Ebola or have Ebola symptoms

• do not touch the body fluids of someone who has Ebola, or anything they may have come into contact with (such as clothes and bedding)

• do not handle wild animals, especially bats, monkeys, baboons and chimpanzees

Ebola symptoms can start between 2 and 21 days after being infected.

They can appear suddenly and include flu-like symptoms, such as a high temperature, extreme tiredness and a headache.

Other symptoms include:

• being sick
• diarrhoea and tummy pain
• a skin rash
• yellowing of the skin and eyes
• blood in your poo
• lots of bruises all over your body
• bleeding from your ears, eyes, nose or mouth
• muscle pain
• sore throat
• blood in vomit or poo
• bleeding from nose, gums or vagina

Ebola is an emergency and needs to be treated quickly.

You'll usually be treated in isolation in hospital and will need specialist care in an intensive care unit.

Treatment involves managing your symptoms, such as:

• help with breathing
• fluids given directly into a vein to stop you becoming dehydrated

Ebola is spread through contact with body fluids of infected people or wild animals. It's mainly found in parts of Africa and is not found in the UK.

You can avoid Ebola by not having close contact with people who have symptoms of Ebola and not eating raw or undercooked meat from wild animals.

Ebola virus disease can come on suddenly. The main symptoms are similar to flu, such as a high temperature, extreme tiredness and a headache.

Ebola is very serious and needs specialist care in hospital. Treatment involves managing the symptoms, such as giving fluids or help with breathing.