Joseph Alton: The Ebola Survival Handbook

In any case, Ms. Writebol did not think she had Ebola. True, she wasn’t feeling well and she had a fever, but she assumed it was malaria. “I had had malaria once in this past year, and so I knew what that felt like. And it was just the same symptoms,” said Writebol.

If you tell a health-care provider that you’ve traveled from Africa and you’re exhibiting a fever, that provider might easily be led to believe that you suffer from malaria. Indeed, the majority of suspected Ebola cases in the United States turn out to be malaria or some other illness.

Everyone, including Nancy, assumed that malaria was what ailed her, and could have very well treated her with quinine, but thankfully, they were vigilant. They decided to cover their bases, and they tested her for Ebola, even though she had previously been diagnosed with malaria. This high index of suspicion saved her life.

Ms. Writebol was immediately isolated and given ZMapp, an experimental Ebola drug that had, at that point, only been tested on monkeys. She was then evacuated for treatment in the United States. It was because of the swift diagnosis and treatment that she recovered.

While Ebola vaccines are still in human trials, experimental treatments like ZMapp have been showing favorable results. When you ignore the signs and symptoms of Ebola, you put not only yourself but everyone you come in contact with at high risk.

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After a period of 2–21 days (average 8–10) without symptoms, the Ebola patient begins to show signs of the disease.

WHAT YOU NEED TO LOOK OUT FOR…

After a period of 2–21 days (average 8–10) without symptoms, the Ebola patient begins to show signs of the disease. The signs and symptoms of Ebola can be divided into early, middle, and late stages.

EARLY STAGES

In the early stages of Ebola, it looks like a lot of other illnesses. You might notice:

• Aches and pains

• Cough

• Sore throat

• Shortness of breath

• Fever and chills

• Headache

• Nausea

• Hiccups

• A general ill feeling (otherwise known as malaise)

Other than hiccups, which occur only in a percentage of cases, this sounds like the flu, doesn’t it?

MIDDLE STAGES

As the disease progresses, you might see:

• Rashes

• Eye redness (similar to pinkeye or conjunctivitis)

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

LATE STAGES

Once the disease progresses to the later stages, the patient is in bad shape. Signs and symptoms include:

• Altered mental status

• Seizures

• Difficulty breathing

• Dark red coloration of the roof of the mouth

• Bruises

• Broken blood vessels in the skin

• Collections of blood under the skin after injections

• Bloody vomit or sputum

• Spontaneous nosebleeds

• Bleeding from gums

• Blood in bowel movements

It should be noted that, although Ebola is classified as a hemorrhagic fever, only about 50 percent of victims show evidence of abnormal bleeding. Patients will show a subset of the above signs and symptoms; in other words, they will show some of them and not show others.

Although the classic case has major bleeding issues, the most common cause of death is multiple organ failures and severe dehydration.

LAB FINDINGS

The symptoms are how Ebola manifests outwardly, but the disease does incredible damage to your overall body chemistry. This is reflected in various lab tests, most results of which can be available in a relatively short time (if the lab has the proper equipment).

The information received from laboratory findings aids physicians in determining how much overall damage Ebola has caused in patients, and alerts them to other conditions that may arise as a result of the infection. We’ll get more into the “aftereffects” of Ebola in the next chapter.

NOW YOU KNOW…

The symptoms of Ebola are very similar to the flu and malaria. Because the signs and symptoms are similar, Ebola can go undiagnosed, which creates a number of issues. This increases the possibility of Ebola spreading to anyone the patient may come in contact with after being misdiagnosed. If someone seems to exhibit any of the symptoms of Ebola, it is essential that they be tested and receive medical attention as soon as possible.

Now that Ebola has infiltrated our national health infrastructure, it is important not to instantly panic and believe you have contracted Ebola because you live in Atlanta or Dallas or that you recently sat with a friendly Liberian on an airplane. Panic is as bad as complacency when it comes to epidemics.

Yes, keep aware of the signs. Keep vigilant about washing your hands and pay attention to people you encounter over the course of your day. And if you have any doubts at all, please see your doctor.

Ebola can only be diagnosed by a physician after tests have been done on your blood, urine, and so forth. The CDC is working to ensure that health-care professionals run these tests on anyone who might seem suspect.

Be mindful, however, that you will be told that not everyone who comes into hospitals exhibiting symptoms similar to those of Ebola will be tested for Ebola. Remember that the signs and symptoms of the disease are similar to so many other diseases, especially in the first week of having those symptoms. There have been many cases of people being tested for Ebola who end up not having the disease. Recently, a pair was taken to New York’s Bellevue Hospital as they were exhibiting signs of illness. In the last two months, Bellevue alone has handled at least twenty-nine suspected cases of Ebola. None of the patients actually had the deadly virus. The official statement made by Bellevue hospital reads:

There are no patients at Bellevue with Ebola. Two patients there this morning were evaluated and it was quickly determined they did not have the virus. Because of the heightened alert, hospitals will be using enhanced scrutiny and an abundance of caution when reviewing questionable cases, and are meticulously following all public health and CDC protocols.

If you have reason to believe you could have Ebola, it’s crucial that you bring those reasons with you to your examination, including travel documentation or any evidence you may have that may connect you to a person known to have contracted Ebola. Without a convincing argument, it’s possible you won’t be tested for Ebola. Hospitals will claim they simply don’t have the resources to test everyone for the disease. Be sure to go to the hospital or doctor’s office prepared to state your case.

The thing is, chances are pretty good that your doctor will not test you for Ebola unless you have come in contact with someone who has Ebola, or someone who has come in contact with someone who has Ebola and then come in contact with you. If you feel sick or have a fever after coming in contact with someone recently arrived from a region of Ebola outbreak or a hospital worker treating Ebola, it is important to bring this information to your doctor’s attention.

In the first few days after symptoms develop, you will be tested for Ebola if there is adequate reason to believe you are at risk. There are special tests which are sent to the CDC and analyzed within a twenty-four to forty-eight hour period.

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If you feel sick or have a fever after coming in contact with someone recently arrived from a region of Ebola outbreak or a hospital worker treating Ebola, it is important to bring this information to your doctor’s attention.

If you are diagnosed with Ebola after the results from these tests come back, you will be hospitalized (hopefully in a high-risk center). Once you have recovered, you will likely be given additional testing to detect for “antibodies.” These are certain Y-shaped proteins that your body produces to deactivate dangerous viruses and bacteria. Some of the tests include: