Ebola — symptoms reference
← back to EbolaPhase 1 — Early (days 1-3 after symptom onset)
- ●Sudden fever (often >38.6°C / 101.5°F)
- ●Severe fatigue / weakness
- ●Muscle pain
- ●Headache
- ●Sore throat
Often mistaken for flu, malaria, or typhoid — exposure history is critical.
Phase 2 — Advanced (days 4-10)
- ●Vomiting
- ●Diarrhea (often bloody)
- ●Rash
- ●Impaired kidney and liver function
- ●In severe cases: internal and external bleeding (e.g. oozing from gums, blood in stool)
Death typically occurs days 6-16 after symptom onset from multi-organ failure or shock.
Transmission
- →Direct contact with blood, body fluids (saliva, vomit, urine, feces, breast milk, semen) of infected people
- →Contact with surfaces or objects contaminated with body fluids of infected persons
- →Animal-to-human spillover via fruit bats (Pteropodidae) and infected non-human primates
- →Traditional burial and funeral practices involving contact with the deceased
- →Nosocomial transmission in healthcare settings without adequate infection control
- →Sexual transmission possible — virus can persist in semen for months after recovery
Quick facts
- Family
- Filoviridae
- Incubation
- 2-21 days (typically 8-10 days)
- Mortality
- 25-90% case fatality historically; recent outbreaks 40-60% with supportive care, lower with mAb114/REGN-EB3 therapy
- Vaccine
- Yes (Ervebo for Zaire ebolavirus)
When to seek care: Immediately if you develop unexplained fever within 21 days of: (a) travel to an active ebola outbreak area, (b) contact with a confirmed/suspected case, (c) contact with sick wildlife (fruit bats, non-human primates), or (d) work in a healthcare setting that treats ebola. Tell the clinician about exposure history BEFORE clinical examination.
Sources:
This page is informational, not medical advice. If you have potential ebola exposure, contact your local health authority or call your country's emergency line.