Ebola: What you really need to know Published Oct. 28, 2014 By 66th Medical Squadron Public Health Office HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- Ebola is a rare and potentially deadly disease caused by infection with one of the Ebola virus strains, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. The disease is found in several African countries. It was first discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The natural reservoir of Ebola virus remains unknown. Researchers believe the virus is animal-borne and that bats are the most likely reservoir. How Ebola spreads The Ebola virus is spread through direct contact with: - Blood or body fluids (urine, saliva, feces, and vomit) of a person who is sick with Ebola - Objects that have been contaminated with the virus - Ebola is not spread through air or by water, or in general, by food. Only mammals such as humans, bats, monkeys and apes have shown the ability to become infected with and spread Ebola virus. Signs and symptoms of Ebola People who have Ebola often feel some or all of these signs and symptoms: - Fever greater than 100.4 - Severe headache - Muscle pain - Weakness - Diarrhea - Vomiting - Abdominal (stomach) pain - Unexplained hemorrhage (bleeding or bruising) - Symptoms may appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days after exposure to Ebola (the average is 8 to 10 days). Ways to prevent Ebola - Practice careful hygiene. For example, wash hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and avoid contact with blood and body fluids. - Do not handle items that may have come in contact with an infected person's blood or body fluids such as clothes, bedding, needles and medical equipment. - Avoid funeral or burial rituals that require handling the body of someone who has died from Ebola. - Avoid contact with bats and primates or blood, fluids and raw meat prepared from these animals. - Avoid travel to areas of West Africa where Ebola is present. Recovery from Ebola depends on good supportive clinical care and a healthy immune response. For more information on Ebola, visit www.cdc.gov. For any questions, contact the Hanscom Public Health Office at 781-225-6259.