The mysterious disease that has infected people in Bundibugyo was this morning revealed to be Ebola virus (verified by the CDC-Atlanta laboratories). So far all cases have come from a village area called Kikyo, which is 25 km from our mission, or through direct prolonged contact with patients from that area. Ebola is a panic-inducing word. We are treating this news with sober respect, but thought we’d put out a few facts proactively.  

Ebola is a filovirus. There are four subtypes: Ebola-Zaire, Ebola-Sudan, Ebola-Ivory Coast, and Ebola-Reston. Our epidemic does not seem to fit any of these four strains and so may represent a new form of the virus. The good news is that it seems to be slightly less virulent.

The patients we are seeing look ill, but not that different from most patients. The Hollywood version is not what we’re seeing. Most people just have fever, vomiting and diarrhea, some with a rash and some with conjunctivitis (eyes red). A few have bleeding.

The virus has never been documented to spread through the air to infect humans. The mode of transmission is direct contact, touching body fluids or soiled linens or blood, or by contaminated instruments such as needles. Unless this strain is very different from other Ebola strains, people who are not sick do not spread the disease. We won’t contact it in our homes, or in normal daily life.

The health care workers of Bundibugyo are the ones at risk. We want to support them in every way possible, with gloves, masks, bleach, bandages, IV fluids, etc. Thankfully the World Health Organization, the CDC and MSF (Doctors without Borders), organizations with great experience in this kind of epidemic, are aware and will arrive by air tomorrow to help. We as doctors are taking every possible precaution when we see patients to avoid becoming ill.