Symptômes d'Ebola

La maladie à virus Ebola (MVE) progresse par des phases bien définies. Reconnaître les symptômes rapidement et se faire soigner dans les 3 premiers jours améliore considérablement les chances de survie.

2–21 days

Incubation Period

avg. 8–10 days

25–90%

Historic CFR Range

strain-dependent

Symptom onset

Contagion Window

not during incubation

Up to 18 mo

Viral Persistence

in semen post-recovery

Progression de la maladie par phase

Phase 01

Incubation Period

2–21 days (avg. 8–10)

› No visible symptoms (asymptomatic)
› Virus actively replicating inside body
› Person is NOT infectious to others
› Critical window for contact tracing
› Ring vaccination most effective at this stage
› Average 8–10 days; up to 21 days possible

Phase 02

Early / Prodromal

Days 1–3 of illness CONTAGIOUS

› Sudden onset high fever (>38.6 °C / 101.5 °F)
› Severe frontal headache
› Intense muscle and joint pain (myalgia)
› Profound fatigue and weakness
› Sore throat and difficulty swallowing
› Loss of appetite
› Begins to be contagious — isolation required

Phase 03

Acute / GI Phase

Days 3–7 CONTAGIOUS

› Profuse vomiting and watery diarrhoea
› Severe abdominal cramps and pain
› Diffuse maculopapular rash (trunk)
› Persistent hiccups
› Red eyes (conjunctival injection)
› Chest pain and shortness of breath
› Oedema (face, neck, scrotum)
› Highly contagious — strict PPE required

Phase 04

Hemorrhagic / Severe

Days 6–9 (severe cases) CONTAGIOUS

› Internal and external bleeding
› Bleeding from gums, nose, eyes, ears
› Blood in vomit (hematemesis) and stool (melena)
› Spontaneous bruising and petechiae
› Acute kidney and liver failure
› Neurological: confusion, coma, seizures
› Septic shock and multi-organ failure
› CFR: 40–90% without treatment

⚠ Signes d’alerte d’urgence — Consulter immédiatement

Si vous avez été dans une zone d'épidémie et développez ces symptômes, contactez immédiatement les autorités sanitaires.

! Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

! Chest pain or pressure

! Confusion, disorientation, or loss of consciousness

! Bleeding from any site (gums, nose, skin, urine, stool)

! Inability to keep down fluids (severe dehydration)

! Signs of shock: extreme pallor, cold skin, weak pulse

Définition de cas clinique de l'OMS

Suspected Case

Any person (alive or dead) who has had contact with a probable or confirmed case and has fever ≥38°C plus at least 3 other symptoms (headache, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, bleeding, muscle pain, weakness).

Probable Case

Any suspected case evaluated by a clinician, or any deceased suspected case with an epidemiological link to a confirmed case but where laboratory confirmation was not possible.

Confirmed Case

Any suspected or probable case with a positive laboratory test: RT-PCR positive for Ebola virus RNA in blood or other body fluid samples.

Comparaison des symptômes par souche Ebola

Feature	Zaire (EBOV)	Sudan (SUDV)	Bundibugyo (BDBV)
Case Fatality Rate	40–90%	40–65%	25–36%
Hemorrhagic symptoms	Common	Less common	Rare
Incubation range	2–21 days	2–21 days	2–21 days
Approved vaccine	rVSV-ZEBOV ✓	None	None
Approved treatment	Inmazeb / Ebanga	Supportive only	Supportive only
Major outbreaks	DRC, West Africa 2014	Uganda 2022	Uganda 2007

Syndrome post-Ebola (SPE)

Jusqu'à 75 % des survivants présentent des problèmes de santé persistants pendant des mois ou des années.

Eye Disease

Uveitis, cataracts, vision loss — most common complication in survivors

Joint & Muscle Pain

Arthralgia and myalgia persisting weeks to months after recovery

Neurological

Headache, memory impairment, hearing loss, peripheral neuropathy

Fatigue

Profound fatigue and weakness for months post-discharge

Mental Health

PTSD, depression, anxiety — reported in >50% of survivors

Viral Persistence

Virus can persist in semen up to 18 months; sexual transmission risk post-recovery

Faits cliniques clés

Contagion Window

Infectious only after symptom onset. Remains contagious in body fluids up to 7 days post-recovery. Virus persists in semen up to 18 months.

Transmission Route

Direct contact with blood or body fluids of symptomatic/deceased person. NOT airborne. Healthcare workers and family caregivers at highest risk.

Diagnostic Tests

RT-PCR is gold standard. Antigen-RDT used in field settings. Results typically available in 3–6 hours. Negative result within 3 days of exposure does not rule out infection.

Early Treatment Impact

CFR drops below 40% with supportive care (IV fluids, electrolytes, oxygen) in first 3 days. Monoclonal antibodies (Inmazeb, Ebanga) reduce CFR to ~6% for Zaire strain.