2. Early SUPPORTIVE CARE
Patients are treated for their symptoms i.e.
Oxygen therapy
Fluid resuscitation and management
Blood transfusion
Electrolyte management
Pain management
Antiemetic medications for vomiting
Antipyretics
Antibiotics and anti malarial drugs for possible coexisting infections
3. Pharmacological Therapy
Two Monoclonal antibodies (Inmazeb and Ebanga) were approved for the
treatment of Zaire Ebola virus infection in both adults and children by the US
Food and Drug administration in late 2020.
Both of these treatments were evaluated in a randomized controlled trial during
the 2018-2020 Ebola outbreak in the DRC and overall survival was much higher in
patients that received either of the two drugs.
Neither Inmazeb nor Ebanga have been evaluated for efficacy against species
other than Zaire Ebola virus.
4. Ebola Vaccine
The U.S Food and Drug Administration(FDA) approved the Ebola vaccine ERVEBO
on December 19 ,2019.
The vaccine has been found to be safe and protective against Zaire Ebola virus
which has caused the largest and most deadly Ebola outbreaks to date.
The vaccine is given as a single dose
5. Prevention and control in health care setting
Case Management
Health workers should be trained in early detection ,isolation and treatment of EVD .
Isolation of patients suspected or confirmed to have EVD
Avoid contact with blood and body fluids as well as items that may have come in
contact with the patient.
Appropriate personal protective equipment should be worn when caring for a patient
with EVD(Gloves ,Gown, Eye protection eg face shield, face mask).
Minimize the number of staffs in contact with the patient.
Visitors should be restricted .
6. Prevention and Control within community
Provide information on disease symptoms and signs , and encourage affected
individuals to seek care immediately .
Discuss risk factors at community level and how these could be reduced to
prevent exposure to and transmission of infection e.g. safe burials , frequent hand
washing .
Communication between community leaders and healthcare/outbreak team.
Support and reduce stigma against survivors and affected families.
7. Care for people who recovered from EVD
Psychosocial support
Women who have been infected while pregnant the virus persists in the placenta
and amniotic fluid , standard precautions should be used during delivery.
In women who have been breastfeeding ,the virus may persist in breast milk after
recovery , therefore should wait until she had two consecutive negative PCR
breast milk test before re-initiating breastfeeding.
WHO recommends that All male survivors practice safer sex for 12 months or
until their semen tests negative twice for Ebola virus.