Seizure is a recognised and serious complication in patients with Ebola virus disease (EVD). Prompt, structured management is required to protect the airway, identify reversible triggers, and deliver appropriate pharmacotherapy within the constraints of the EVD care setting.
Seizures can occur in EVD for a number of different reasons, including hypoglycaemia, sepsis, Ebola viral meningoencephalitis, intracranial haemorrhage, and underlying seizure disorder, among others. Identifying the contributing cause is integral to management alongside immediate seizure control.
Immediate management prioritises airway protection through patient positioning and supplementary oxygen. Urgent assessment for and correction of treatable metabolic triggers — particularly hypoglycaemia — is a first-line step. Pharmacotherapy to control the seizure is available via multiple routes depending on what access can be safely established in the EVD setting.