Ebola and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHFs)
Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe disease that causes hemorrhagic fever in humans and animals. Diseases that cause hemorrhagic fevers, such as Ebola, are often fatal as they affect the body's vascular system (how blood moves through the body). This can lead to significant internal bleeding and organ failure.
Hemorrhagic fever viruses are among the agents identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as the most likely to be used as biological weapons. Many viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) can cause severe, life-threatening disease with high fatality rates.
Some viruses that cause hemorrhagic fever can spread from one person to another, once an initial person has become infected. Ebola, Marburg, Lassa and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever viruses are examples. This type of secondary transmission of the virus can occur directly, through close contact with infected people or their body fluids. It can also occur indirectly, through contact with objects contaminated with infected body fluids. For example, contaminated syringes and needles have played an important role in spreading infection in outbreaks of Ebola hemorrhagic fever and Lassa fever.
For more information on Ebola, see OSHA's Ebola Webpage.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
5-11. Which of the following are among the agents identified as the most likely to be used as biological weapons?
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