 Marines, as the Medical Officer of the Marine Corps, threats to force health protection are a matter of grave concern, both to me and Marine leaders everywhere. One such threat is Ebola, an extremely deadly viral disease for which there's currently no vaccine or cure, and one that's caused recently an increasing number of cases and deaths in West Africa. In fact, the ongoing Ebola outbreak has already surpassed numbers from all previous outbreaks since 1976, combined, making it not only the largest outbreak ever documented, but also the first recorded in West Africa. Although this situation is serious, the Centers for Disease Control, along with other government and international agencies, are taking steps to respond. The World Health Organization has declared the current Ebola outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, and the CDC is recommended against non-essential travel to affected countries. For those of you whose mission requires deployment to these areas, it is imperative that you take appropriate precautions. You must be aware of the risks, understand what to do if you come in contact with someone suspected of having Ebola, and what to do if you become ill. While there's currently very low risk to Marines and Sailors in Africa, that risk can become moderate to high if you come in direct contact with an infected individual. It's important to know that persons infected with Ebola virus are not contagious until symptoms appear. The virus is spread through direct contact with blood or body fluids of a person who's sick, or with objects such as needles that have been contaminated with the virus, or by touching or eating infected animals. Therefore avoiding these situations is crucial. Ebola is not spread through the air or by water. Initial symptoms usually appear suddenly, about 8 to 10 days after exposure. They can include severe headache, aching muscles, fatigue, sore throat, dizziness, nausea, and joint or muscle pain. As the infection progresses, increasingly serious problems can develop, such as blood and vomit and feces, skin rashes, failure of multiple organ systems, and shock. Unfortunately we don't have specific antiviral treatment at this time, and there is no current vaccine. Meticulous supportive care can make a difference though, if it's begun soon enough. That makes early recognition of Ebola important. In order to provide appropriate patient care and prevent the spread of infection. If you think you may have been exposed to the Ebola virus, please let your medical provider know right away. Recommendations and guidance may change as new information becomes available. For additional information, or to learn more, I encourage you to review the policies within your chain of command. And you can log on to www.cdc.gov for real time updates. Our duty in medical is to make sure that force health protection recommendations change along with threats. So please stay current on this issue. Your health is vital to mission accomplishment. Christopher Fidelis.