| Title: | OTH - EBOLA VIRUS |
|---|---|
| Date: | 1995-05-19 |
| To: | abi |
| Links: | previous, next |
TO : ALL ABI BROKERS.
FROM : HOWARD DUCHAN
SUBJECT : OTH - EBOLA VIRUS
DATE : 05/19/95
OTH-FO-TC-I-E HD
MAY 19, 1995
TO: ALL INTERESTED PARTIES
FROM: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, PUBLIC HEALTH
SERVICE, CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
(CDC) ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30333
SUBJECT: ADVISORY MEMORANDUM NO. 111 : EBOLA VIRUS HEMORRHAGIC
FEVER - ZAIRE
THE GOVERNMENT OF ZAIRE AND THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
HAVE REPORTED AN UNUSUAL OUTBREAK OF EBOLA VIRUS HEMORRHAGIC
FEVER IN KIKWIT, (APPROXIMATELY 250 MILES SOUTHEAST OF KINSHASA)
AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS WITHIN BANDUNDU PROVINCE, ZAIRE. THE
INCUBATION PERIOD (TIME BEFORE SYMPTOMS APPEAR) FOR EBOLA VIRUS
HEMORRHAGIC FEVER MAY RANGE FROM 2-21 DAYS. THE AVERAGE IS
APPROXIMATELY 1 WEEK. THE ILLNESS IS CHARACTERIZED BY ABRUPT
ONSET OF FEVER AND HEADACHE. CONTINUED FEVER, HEADACHE, GENERAL
MALAISE, MUSCLE ACHES, JOINT PAIN, SORE THROAT ARE COMMONLY
FOLLOWED BY VOMITING, DIARRHEA, ABDOMINAL PAIN. A TRANSIENT,
MEASLES-LIKE SKIN RASH, THAT SUBSQUENTLY BECOMES SCALY OFTEN
APPEARS AT THE END OF THE FIRST WEEK OF ILLNESS. PERSONS
INFECTED WITH THE VIRUS MAY SUFFER INTERNAL HEMORRHAGING, SEVERE
ORGAN FAILURE DEATH.
THE DISEASE IS PRIMARILY TRANSMITTED BY CONTAMINATED INJECTIONS
CLOSE PERSONAL CONTACT WITH SEVERELY ILL PATIENTS. TRANSMISSION
USUALLY OCCURS BY DIRECT CONTACT WITH INFECTED BLOOD, SECRETIONS,
ORGANS, OR SEMEN. OTHERWISE, THE RISK OF INFECTION IS BELIEVED
TO BE VERY LOW. PERSONS IN THE INCUBATION PERIOD ARE NOT
CONSIDERED TO BE A SIGNIFICANT RISK TO THOSE AROUND THEM.
TRAVELERS TO ZAIRE ARE AT LOW RISK OF ACQUIRING THE DISEASE UNDER
NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES. TO ELIMINATE THE RISKS, TRAVELERS WOULD
AVOID THE EBOLA VIRUS AREAS DESCRIBED ABOVE. TRAVELERS IN ZAIRE
SHOULD CONTACT THE U.S. EMBASSY FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AFTER
ARRIVAL IN KINSHASA.
FOR FUTURE UPDATES OF THIS ADVISORY, YOU MAY CALL CDC
INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS' VOICE INFORMATION SERVICE AT (404)
333-4559 PRESS 1, THEN PRESS 4, AND LISTEN FOR THE OUTBREAK MENU
FOR ZAIRE OR YOU MAY CALL THE CDC FAX INFORMATION SERVICE AT
(404) 332-4565 AND REQUEST DOCUMENT #221009.
ALL RECIPIENT HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, TRAVEL AGENCIES, AIRLINES,
SHIPPING COMPANIES SHOULD NOTIFY PROSPECTIVE TRAVELS OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS IN THIS ADVISORY.
BRIAN MAHY, PH.D., DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF VIRAL AND DIVISION OF
AND RICKETTSIAL DISEASES, NATIONAL CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES
CHARLES R. MCCANCE, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF QUARANTINE, NATIONAL
CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES