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Persons suspected of infection with the Ebola virus should be treated with extreme caution. Immediate isolation from other patients and barrier nursing techniques must be done. All instruments, clothing and biological matter must be disposed of or thoroughly disinfected immediately. There is an incubation period for the Ebola virus, which ranges from 2 to 21 days, depending upon the method of infection. Diagnosing Ebola in people who have been infected only a few days is difficult as early symptoms, such as red and itchy eyes and a skin rash, are nonspecific to the virus. Several laboratory tests should be done promptly in order to diagnose the patient accurately. They include a blood film examination for malaria and a blood culture. If the suspected patient diarrhea is bloody, a stool culture should also be performed. There is no standard treatment for Ebola infected patient’s but they do however receive supportive therapy. Fortunately, there may be a cure discovered for the Ebola virus but this is still under investigation. |