What is the incubation period for Ebola?

• A. 14-28 days
• B. 2-21 days
• C. 1-5 days
• D. 28-60 days

Answer: (B)

Incubation period is the time between exposure and the start of symptoms. For Ebola, this interval typically spans from about two days to about twenty-one days. This wide, but specific, window is why exposed individuals are monitored for roughly three weeks after the last possible exposure. Symptoms can begin as early as around day two or as late as day twenty-one, with most cases appearing in the first week to ten days. The other time frames provided don’t match what is observed in Ebola outbreaks, since they either miss later onset or extend beyond the known range.