Diseases of Interest

Ebola is a disease caused by an infection with an orthoebolavirus. These types of viruses are primarily found in sub-Saharan Africa and can be serious and often deadly, with a mortality rate as high as 80 to 90 percent.

Signs and symptoms

Someone with Ebola disease may start getting sick 2 to 21 days after contact with one of the viruses. However, on average, symptoms begin 8 to 10 days after exposure.

People with Ebola disease may experience “dry” symptoms early in the course of illness. These symptoms may include fever, aches, pains, and fatigue. As the person becomes sicker, the illness typically progresses to “wet” symptoms and may include diarrhea, vomiting, and unexplained bleeding.

Risk factors

Healthcare providers and family members caring for someone with Ebola disease without proper infection control methods have the highest risk of infection.

The viruses that cause Ebola disease pose little risk to travelers or the general public.

How it spreads

People can get Ebola disease through contact with the body fluids of an infected or dead person. An individual is only contagious once they begin showing symptoms of the disease. You cannot get Ebola from simply being near someone or passing them in public spaces because it doesn’t spread through the air.

In rare occasions, some people can get the disease from contact with an infected animal, like a bat or non-human primate.

Prevention

If you live in or are traveling to regions where Ebola disease has been diagnosed or is suspected, take steps to protect yourself.

• Avoid contact with:
  • Bodily fluids which include: blood, urine, feces, saliva, sweat, vomit, breast milk, amniotic fluid, semen, and vaginal fluid from people who are sick.
  • Clothes, bedding, needles, medical equipment, or other items that may have touched an infected person’s blood or body fluids.
  • The body of someone who is suspected or confirmed to have had Ebola disease (for instance, as part of a funeral or burial practices).
  • Bats, forest antelopes, primates, and blood, fluids, or raw meat from these or unknown animals.
• Wear personal protective equipment if you come in contact with people who are sick or have died from Ebola virus, their blood and body fluids, or objects covered with their blood or body fluids.
• Monitor your health
  • If you return from an area with an ongoing Ebola outbreak, monitor your health for 21 days. Seek medical care immediately if you develop symptoms of Ebola disease.

Testing and diagnosis

Healthcare providers order polymerase chain reaction (PCR) blood testing to diagnose Ebola disease in people who are alive. They can also do blood testing for antibodies to see if the patient recently had Ebola disease.

Someone being tested for Ebola disease should be separated from other people in a healthcare facility until results are confirmed.

Treatment

• Two FDA-approved treatments are currently available to treat Ebola disease only in the Orthoebolavirus zairensespecies: Inmazeb™ and Ebanga™.
• Supportive care:
  • Patients have a much better chance of surviving if they receive:
    • Fluids and electrolytes by mouth or into their veins.
    • Medicine to support blood pressure, reduce vomiting and diarrhea, and to manage fever and pain.
    • Treatment for other infections, if they occur.

For more information on Ebola, visit the CDC’s website: Ebola Disease Basics | Ebola | CDC

Hepatitis A is a highly contagious infection of the liver that is caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). It can range from a mild illness lasting just a few weeks, to a severe sickness that can persist for several months. Although rare, hepatitis A can cause death in some cases. This virus is only found in the blood and stool of an infected person. It usually spreads when someone unknowingly ingests microscopic particles in contaminated food or water. Additionally, it is passed on from close personal contact such as through sex or caring for someone who is ill. The average incubation period is 28 days but it has also been found to be as short as 15 and can extend up to 50 days. If you have any of the following signs and symptoms, please contact your health care provider:

• Fever
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal discomfort
• Dark urine (brown in color)
• Clay-colored bowel movement/stool
• Joint pain
• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)

Where Can I get the Hepatitis A Vaccine?

The hepatitis A vaccine is available at the following Fulton County health centers:

Adamsville Regional Health Center

3700 MLK Jr. Drive S.W. | Atlanta, GA 30331
404.613.4215 | Map of location
Monday – Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

College Park Regional Health Center

1920 John Wesley Avenue | College Park, GA 30337
404.613.8865 | Map of location
Monday – Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Neighborhood Union Health Center

186 Sunset Avenue N.W. | Atlanta, GA 30314
404.612.4665 | Map of location
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

North Fulton Regional Health Center

3155 Royal Drive | Alpharetta, GA 30022
404.612.1876 | Map of location
Monday – Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Legionnaires’ disease is a severe type of pneumonia that is caused by inhaling particles or accidentally choking on water that contains the Legionella bacteria. This disease is noncommunicable, which means you can’t get it from someone else or give it to them.

Symptoms include: cough, shortness of breath, fever, muscle aches, and headaches. Some patients also experience diarrhea, nausea, and confusion.

What is rabies?

Rabies is a viral disease of mammals, usually occurring among wild animals such as raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes. The rabies virus travels from the site of the bite up through the nerves until it reaches the brain, causing encephalopathy and ultimately death.

Which animals carry rabies?

In the United States, rabies occurs primarily in wild mammals (e.g., skunks, raccoons, coyotes, foxes and bats). Sometimes, these wild animals infect domestic cats, dogs, and livestock. Rabies is rare in small rodents such as squirrels, rabbits, beavers, chipmunks, rats and mice, muskrats, hamsters, gerbils, porcupines and guinea pigs.

Where can I get additional information about rabies?

If you have any questions, reach out to our Office of Epidemiology at (770) 520-7500, Option 7.

The Georgia Poison Center is available for rabies consultation 24 hours a day, seven days a week:
Public Health Hotline : 1-866-782-4584

Resources

• Fulton County Field Services
  404-613-0358, Option #2

• Georgia Wildlife Urban Wildlife Program
  Helping residents of the metro Atlanta area resolve conflicts with wildlife through technical guidance, on site response, and education and outreach.
  Need more advice? Call 1-800-366-2661.

• DPH Rabies Information

• Case Report Form for Submission to DPH

• Rabies Control Manual

Link for Healthcare professionals and Veterinarians

• Fulton County Board of Health Rabies PEP Decision Tree
• CDC Pre/Post exposure Prophylaxis for Rabies