LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - First, what is Ebola?

Ebola is a severe disease caused by the Ebola virus that was first recognized in Africa in 1976.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, early symptoms can include fever, headache, joint and muscle aches, sore throat and weakness, followed by diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pain. The disease may also cause rashes, red eyes, hiccups and internal and external bleeding. Frequently deadly, up to 90 percent of people who are infected with Ebola die from it.

Outbreaks have usually occurred in African countries, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Sudan, the Ivory Coast, Uganda and the Republic of the Congo.

How is it transmitted?

Humans are not the natural hosts of the Ebola virus, and it's believed that the first person in any outbreak became infected through contact with an infected animal. Animals said to have spread disease to humans include chimpanzees, gorillas and forest antelopes and cynomolgus monkeys.

Once one person has become infected, the disease can spread from person to person through contact with the blood, saliva, mucus or other secretions. In Africa, the disease is frequently spread in health care settings to workers who have had contact with patients who do not wear protective clothing or masks. Re-use of contaminated needles can also spread the disease.

How many people have been infected?

Since Ebola was discovered, there have been an estimated 1,850 cases and more than 1,200 deaths have been reported.

Has there ever been an outbreak in the United States?

Ebola has not caused disease in the United States. Several researchers in Virginia and Texas in 1990 became infected with a type of Ebola virus from contact with imported monkeys. The type of Ebola in these cases, now called Ebola-Reston, did not cause symptoms in humans, although it was fatal in monkeys.

Is there a cure?

No. Patients with Ebola are treated with supportive therapy, which includes balancing their fluids, maintaining their oxygen levels and blood pressure, and treating them for any complicating infections.

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