Medically Verified By: Dr. S M Fayaz
Ebola outbreak in Congo total cases so far.
As the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak crosses the grim milestone of 1,000 confirmed cases, global health agencies are sounding the alarm over the growing humanitarian crisis. In its latest statement, UNICEF has warned that millions of children remain at risk as the virus continues to spread in conflict-hit regions with limited access to healthcare. Amid rising fears, experts say misinformation surrounding Ebola symptoms could delay diagnosis and worsen outcomes. While fever and bleeding are widely recognised warning signs, doctors caution that several lesser-known symptoms often go unnoticed, increasing the risk of severe illness and transmission.
In this article, we tell you the top symptoms that are linked with this deadly virus infection and ways it can be prevented.
Many people have an image of what they think of Ebola virus disease as often being represented by bloody intestinal and mouth bleeding with tons of bloody tissue everywhere. However, bleeding is not necessarily either the first or most frequently seen symptom that an individual will develop after getting infected with Ebola. The fact that so many patients that develop Ebola have other common infections first makes it difficult to be diagnosed very early. Knowing about the rare symptoms of Ebola can help to raise awareness and encourage people to seek medical attention, especially when there are outbreaks of Ebola.
In an exclusive interaction with TheHealthSite.com, Prof. Dr. S M Fayaz, Lead & Senior Consultant - Internal Medicine, KIMS Hospitals, Mahadevapura, Bengaluru, revealed some of the most ignored symptoms of the virus infection.
Ebola generally starts with high fever, severe tiredness, muscle soreness and headache which will develop sometime between the 2nd-21st day after contact with the infected patient. Symptoms that you will have during this stage of the Ebola infection are often similar to the symptoms that are seen with someone who has malaria, dengue fever, typhoid, or influenza which makes it very difficult to identify Ebola for a healthcare provider at this early stage of the disease.
Usually, individuals develop gastrointestinal issues as the disease progresses. Gastrointestinal issues include -
Additionally, digestive problems often cause much of the severity of individuals that develop the disease.
Individuals will often report that they experience extreme tiredness which can make it difficult for them to carry out daily life activities. A loss of appetite is also common in many cases which often lead to nutritional deficiencies and prolonged recovery time.
Some patients will experience symptoms like a sore throat or chest pain, trouble swallowing, and long-lasting hiccups. Hiccups may seem like an unusual symptom of disease progression, but they have been documented in more extreme examples of disease progress. Finally, some patients develop skin symptoms even after they had other symptoms for many days.
"Neurological symptoms such as confusion, irritability, trouble concentrating, and altered states of mind are increasingly recognized as common in patients with Ebola. As patients progress through the disease (i.e., as they get closer to dying), many of these patients will suffer from some form of organ failure this organ failure may include the brain, kidneys, and liver, and can be fatal.
Bleeding as a symptom of Ebola is frequently described by patients, but bleeding occurs only in a portion of patients and occurs mostly in later stages of Ebola. Bleeding can occur from the gums and nose as well as from any open wounds or via gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. Therefore, patients cannot rely solely on the presence of bleeding as an indicator of disease progression.
After recovering from the virus, some survivors are left with long-lasting symptoms of Ebola. Patients have reported long-term symptoms including pain in their joints, inflammation of the eyes, visual disturbances, difficulty sleeping, and mental health issues for many months or years after being infected with the virus.
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