The Ebola virus was first documented in Zimbabwe, South Africa and in Kenya in 1976. Two major outbreaks occurred almost simultaneously in Zaire and Sudan. Over 500 cases were reported, with a mortality rate of 88% in Zaire and 53% in Sudan. A single case was confirmed by virus isolation in Zaire in 1977 and 1979. Ebola hemorrhagic fever occurred again in Sudan at the same site as in 1976. Besides these episodes, documented by virus isolation, two more fatal and two nonfatal cases have been reported. A third filovirus, serologically related to Ebola virus was isolated from cynomolgus monkeys ( Macaca fascicularis ) which originated in the Philippines. A Bolivian Hemorrhagic Fever outbreak in July 1962 had a 50% mortality rate. It is not yet proven if this was an Ebola strain or a separate Hemorrhagic Fever. In 1980, David Heymann, discover

ed the presence of the Ebola antibodies in pygmies living in the deeper forests of Cameroon. This led the scientists to again feel that the !

Ebola virus is spread through close personal contact with a person who is infected with Ebola. In previous outbreaks, person-to-person spread frequently occurred among hospital care workers or family members who were caring for a person infected with Ebola virus. Blood and body fluids contain large amounts of virus, thus transmission of the virus has also occurred as a result of hypodermic needles being reused in the treatment of patients. Unlike the medical facilities in the United States, reusing needles is a common practice in developing countries, such as Zaire and Sudan, where the health care system is underfinanced. Previous outbreaks of Ebola appear to have continued only as long as a steady supply of victims came in contact with body fluids from the infected. The epidemics were resolved by teaching the local population about how to avoid spreading the disease and improving conditions at hospitals in impacted areas (unsterilized needles and syringes were a major factor in the 1976 outbreak in Zaire). Ebola's virulence may also serve to limit its spread: it's victims die so quickly that they don't have a chance to spread infection very far.

Ebola-Reston, the third strain identified, was named after a city in Virginia. This was the only outbreak in the United States and luckily it only affected monkeys. It was not hazardous to human. The virus appeared to be air-borne. 149 workers were exposed during the shipment of the monkeys from Philippines. No became ill but two did develop antibodies for Ebola Reston.

The Ebola virus, which causes hemorrhagic fever, begins it¡¯s effect in 4 to 10 days after the infection. It is characterized by such symptoms as fevers, chills, headaches, muscle aches, and loss of appetite. As the disease progresses, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal

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