What is Ebola?
Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a rare but severe and often fatal illness caused by infection with one of the Ebola virus species. The virus belongs to the family Filoviridae, genus Ebolavirus. It causes viral haemorrhagic fever — a condition in which the body's ability to regulate its own vascular system is compromised, leading to internal and external bleeding, organ failure, and frequently death.
First identified in 1976 near the Ebola River in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo, the virus has since caused multiple outbreaks across sub-Saharan Africa. The 2014–2016 outbreak in West Africa was the largest in history, resulting in over 11,000 deaths. A major outbreak in DRC's Ituri Province is active as of 2026.
Ebola Virus Strains
There are six known species of Ebolavirus. They differ significantly in their geographic distribution, transmissibility, and case fatality rates.
Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV)
Most deadly and most studied strain. Responsible for the 2014–2016 West Africa outbreak. Case fatality rate up to 90% without treatment. An approved vaccine (rVSV-ZEBOV) exists for this strain.
Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV)
Currently active in DRC (2026). First identified in Uganda in 2007. Case fatality rate approximately 25–40%. No approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment currently exists for this strain.
Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV)
First identified in 1976. Case fatality rate 41–65%. Caused multiple outbreaks in Uganda and Sudan. No approved vaccine as of 2026.
Taï Forest ebolavirus (TAFV)
Very rare. Only one known human case (non-fatal). Identified in Côte d'Ivoire in 1994.
Reston ebolavirus (RESTV)
Found in non-human primates and pigs in Asia. Not known to cause disease in humans. Not considered a significant human health threat.
Bombali ebolavirus (BOMV)
Discovered in bats in Sierra Leone in 2018. Potential for human infection is not yet fully understood. No documented human cases.
How Ebola Spreads
Ebola is not airborne. It does not spread through casual contact. Understanding the actual transmission routes is essential for effective prevention.
Primary transmission routes
Direct contact with bodily fluids — blood, saliva, sweat, vomit, faeces, urine, breast milk, semen — from an infected person who is showing symptoms. The virus enters through broken skin or mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth).
Contact with contaminated surfaces and objects — bedding, clothing, medical equipment, or any surface that has been in contact with an infected person's bodily fluids.
Funeral and burial practices — traditional burial rituals involving touching or washing the body of the deceased have historically been a major factor in Ebola transmission within communities.
Hand-to-hand transmission is among the most common routes within households and community settings, particularly where hygiene infrastructure is limited.
A person infected with Ebola is not contagious during the incubation period — they cannot spread the virus before symptoms appear. This is both a challenge (people don't know they're infected) and an opportunity: the incubation window is when preventive action — including hand hygiene and immune support — can matter most.
How the Virus Works
Understanding Ebola's mechanism of action explains why certain interventions may support the body during early exposure — and why hand hygiene is so critical.
Entry and initial infection
Ebola virus enters the body through mucous membranes or breaks in the skin. Once inside, it primarily targets and infects macrophages and dendritic cells — key components of the immune system's first response. By disabling these early-warning cells, the virus prevents the immune system from mounting an effective response before it has established itself in the body.
Vascular damage — the defining feature
Ebola is classified as a viral haemorrhagic fever because of its specific effect on the vascular system. The virus attacks the endothelium — the thin layer of cells lining the inside of blood vessels — causing increased vascular permeability. This means vessel walls become "leaky": fluid escapes into surrounding tissue, blood pressure drops, and the body loses its ability to control internal bleeding. This vascular damage is the primary mechanism behind the most severe symptoms of Ebola infection.
Immune system suppression
Simultaneously, the virus actively suppresses the body's antiviral immune response by interfering with interferon signalling — the system by which infected cells alert neighbouring cells and trigger immune defences. This dual mechanism — damaging vessels while suppressing immunity — makes Ebola particularly difficult for the body to fight once it has progressed beyond the earliest phase.
Disease Progression — Phase by Phase
Incubation — No symptoms. Not contagious.
The virus is present but not yet producing symptoms. The infected person does not know they are infected. This is the E.R.A. window — where early preventive action has maximum potential. Hand hygiene and immune support are most relevant here for those in contact with confirmed cases.
Early symptoms — Fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain
Initial symptoms resemble influenza or malaria — making early diagnosis extremely difficult in outbreak settings. The person becomes contagious as symptoms begin. Rapid isolation and hygiene measures become critical.
Progression — Vomiting, diarrhoea, rash
Severe gastrointestinal symptoms begin. Vascular damage accelerates. Dehydration becomes a major risk. Medical support is essential. The amount of virus in bodily fluids is now high — transmission risk is significant.
Critical phase — Organ failure, haemorrhage
In severe cases, vascular permeability leads to internal bleeding, multi-organ failure, and shock. Case fatality is highest during this phase. Intensive medical support — fluid resuscitation, symptom management — is the only available intervention for the Bundibugyo strain.
Outcome — Recovery or death
Survivors begin to show improvement around days 8–12. Recovery can be slow, and some survivors experience persistent health issues. Those who survive develop immunity to the specific strain they were infected with.
Why E.R.A. — Early Response Action — matters for Ebola
Ebola's incubation period of up to 21 days means that people who have been in contact with a confirmed case have a significant window — days or weeks — during which the virus may be present but symptoms have not yet appeared. During this window, two actions are most meaningful: breaking potential transmission chains through hand hygiene, and providing the immune system with the best possible conditions to respond if infection has occurred. This is the logic behind the Ebo-Fighter kit.
Why Hand Hygiene Is Central
Unlike airborne diseases, Ebola can be significantly contained through rigorous hand hygiene. In community settings — where formal medical infrastructure is limited — handwashing and hand sanitisation are among the most effective available interventions for reducing transmission.
The EN14476 standard to which IGMA FOAM is certified confirms effectiveness against enveloped viruses — the category to which Ebola belongs — within 60 seconds of application. In outbreak communities where access to running water is limited, an alcohol-free foam sanitiser that requires no rinsing provides a practical and accessible tool that would otherwise not exist.
The Current Outbreak — Bunia, Ituri Province (2026)
An active outbreak of Bundibugyo ebolavirus was confirmed in Ituri Province, eastern DRC, in May 2026. The Bundibugyo strain has no approved vaccine and no approved antiviral treatment. Local healthcare infrastructure in Ituri Province is severely limited, and the outbreak has spread beyond the initial epicentre.
Local organisations including SOFEPADI have publicly appealed for basic supplies — hand sanitiser, gloves, masks — confirming that even the most fundamental protective tools are not reaching affected communities at the pace required. This is the gap that Ebo-Fighter exists to address.
The Ebo-Fighter approach
Hand hygiene is the single most accessible intervention for reducing Ebola transmission in community settings. Every Ebo-Fighter kit includes an EN14476-certified virucidal foam sanitiser combined with a nutritional support formula.
For the scientific rationale behind the nutritional formula included in our kits, visit: See the science →