Ebola

埃博拉出血热

Evidence-backed information EN 5/7 applicable sections · ZH 5/7 applicable sections Updated Oct 23, 2026

Ebola disease is a rare but severe and often fatal illness in humans caused by viruses of the Orthoebolavirus genus within the Filoviridae family ^[1]^[2]. It has caused intermittent outbreaks across several African nations since its first recognition in 1976, with case fatality rates historically ranging from 25% to 90% ^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]. The 2013–2016 West African epidemic was the largest, most fatal, and longest-lasting in the disease's history ^[3]^[5].

Read the full clinical and epidemiological profile 6

Definition

Ebola disease is a rare but severe illness in humans caused by viruses belonging to the Orthoebolavirus genus of the Filoviridae family ^[1]^[2]. Six species of Orthoebolaviruses have been identified, of which three are known to cause large outbreaks: Ebola virus, Sudan virus, and Bundibugyo virus ^[1]^[2]. The name derives from the Ebola River near where the first recognized outbreak occurred in 1976 ^[1].

Clinical features

Symptoms can begin suddenly and include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, and sore throat, followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, and in some cases internal and external bleeding ^[2]^[3]. The incubation period ranges from 2 to 21 days, and individuals are not infectious before symptom onset ^[2]^[3]. Laboratory confirmation is required to distinguish Ebola from other infectious diseases with similar presentations ^[2].

Epidemiology

Ebola disease was first detected in 1976 through simultaneous outbreaks in present-day South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo ^[1]^[4]. Subsequent intermittent outbreaks have occurred in several African nations, with the 2014–2016 West African event being the largest and most complex, spreading across Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia ^[3]^[4]. Reported case fatality rates have varied between 25% and 90% across past outbreaks, with an average near 50% ^[2]^[3].

Transmission

The virus is introduced into human populations through close contact with blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids of infected animals such as fruit bats, chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys, forest antelope, or porcupines ^[1]^[3]. Human-to-human spread occurs via direct contact with infected persons' bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces and materials, but only after the infected person develops symptoms ^[1]^[3]. People remain infectious as long as their blood contains the virus ^[1].

Prevention

Community engagement is central to outbreak control, alongside surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory services, infection prevention in health facilities, and safe burials ^[1]. Licensed vaccines exist only for Ebola virus disease, while candidate products are in development for other species ^[1]. Raising awareness of risk factors and individual protective measures effectively reduces transmission ^[1].

References

1 World Health Organization. Ebola disease [Internet]. cited 2 Sept 2026. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ebola-disease
2 World Health Organization. Ebola disease [Internet]. cited 2 Sept 2026. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/ebola-disease
3 World Health Organization. Ebola global [Internet]. cited 3 Sept 2026. Available from: https://www.who.int/health-topics/ebola
4 Letafati A et al. Ebola virus disease: A narrative review. Microb Pathog. 2023 Aug. PMID: 37355146. doi: 10.1016/j.micpath.2023.106213. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37355146/
5 Baseler L et al. The Pathogenesis of Ebola Virus Disease. Annu Rev Pathol. 2017 Jan 24. PMID: 27959626. doi: 10.1146/annurev-pathol-052016-100506. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27959626/