The Ebola virus, which causes hemorragic fever, begins 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, abdomin al pain, sore throats, chest pain, and bleeding from body openings can occur. The blood fails to clot and patients may bleed from injection sites as well as into the gastrointestinal tract, skin, and internal organs. Pregnant women had a high stillborn rate if they were infected with the virus.
Patients exhibit mental confusion,agitation and delirium.
Patients with primary exposure tended to have a substantially higher mortality rate than those exposed as secondary infections. Secondary infections generally were due to poor hygienic techniques in dealing with patient's bodily fluids or from the use of unsterile hypodermic needles or other unhygienic practices at area hospitals.