Ebola caused by wild boar meat

2003-11-10 12:36

Johannesburg - Nine people who died of Ebola in Congo were hunters who apparently all ate the meat of a wild board they found dead in a forest, medical information service Medinfo reported on Monday.

Spokesperson Dr Andrew Jamieson said a further three people appeared to have contracted the disease, although clinical samples collected in the field were still to be tested at a medical centre in neighbouring Gabon to confirm the diagnosis.

The area of the suspected outbreak - the Mbomo district of Cuvette-Ouest - is 700km north of Congo's capital city Brazzaville and lies very close to the border with Gabon.

Only one member of the hunting party survived the excursion, a young schoolboy who refused to touch the game.

Although still awaiting biological certification that the cause of death was infection with Ebola virus, the health ministry has re-issued advisory notices warning the populace of the risk of contracting the disease through infected meat.

According to the report, scientists believe that the Ebola outbreak which killed 120 people in the same region of Congo earlier this year was caused by the consumption of infected monkey meat.

The Ebola virus has no known cure. It is transmitted by infected body fluids and kills between 50% and 90% of victims, depending on the strain.

The disease damages the blood vessels and brain and can cause bleeding, diarrhoea, and shock.

- SAPA