The immediate diagnosis of Ebola is difficult because the early symptoms, such as fever are not specific to Ebola infection alone and often are seen in patients with more common diseases, such as malaria, typhoid and other afebrile illness.

However, if a person has the early symptoms of Ebola and has had contact with the blood or body fluids of a person sick with Ebola; contact with objects that have been contaminated with the blood or body fluids of a person sick with Ebola; or contact with infected animals, he/she should be isolated and public health professionals notified. Samples from the patient can then be collected and tested to confirm infection.

Ebola virus is detected in blood only after the onset of symptoms, most notably fever, which is accompanied by a rise in the circulation of the virus within the patient's body. It may take up to three days after the onset of symptoms for the virus to reach detectable levels. Laboratory tests used in diagnosis include:

(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)