Title: Prevention and Vaccine | Ebola (Ebola Virus Disease) | CDC
Headings: Prevention and Vaccine
Prevention and Vaccine
Ebola Vaccine

Content: Prevention and Vaccine | Ebola (Ebola Virus Disease) | CDC
Prevention and Vaccine
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Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a very rare disease caused by infection with Zaire ebolavirus, one of four types of the virus that is known to cause illness in people. It is believed to occur naturally in specific animal populations that live in multiple sub-Saharan African countries. In the areas of sub-Saharan Africa where EVD is most common, Ebola virus is believed to spread at low rates among certain animal populations. Occasionally people become sick with Ebola after coming into contact with infected animals, which can then lead to Ebola outbreaks being spread person-to-person. It has been brought to the United States on a small number of occasions by people who were infected in other countries; in one case, a patient with Ebola went on to spread the virus to two nurses who cared for him. To date, there have only been four cases of EVD diagnosed in the US. When living in or traveling to a region where Ebola virus is potentially present, there are a number of ways to protect yourself and prevent the spread of EVD. Avoid contact with blood and body fluids (such as urine, feces, saliva, sweat, vomit, breast milk, amniotic fluid, semen, and vaginal fluids) of people who are sick. Avoid contact with semen from a man who has recovered from EVD, until testing shows that the virus is gone from his semen.