scholarly journals Descriptive analyses and risk of death due to Ebola Virus Disease, West Africa, 2014

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1298-1307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Folorunso Oludayo Fasina ◽  
Olubukola T. Adenubi ◽  
Samuel T. Ogundare ◽  
Aminu Shittu ◽  
Dauda G. Bwala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Healthcare Delivery ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
World Health ◽  
Public Healthcare ◽  
Risk Of Death

Introduction: Since the first case of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in Guinea in 2013, major outbreaks have been reported in West Africa. Methodology: Cases and fatalities of EVD caused by Zaire Ebola virus (ZEBOV) were evaluated, and the risks of dying in the general population and in healthcare workers were assessed. Results: The case fatality rate estimated for EVD was 76.4% in 20 studies. Cumulative proportion of fatal cases in West Africa was 42.9%, 30.1%, and 64.2% in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea, respectively. The proportion of total deaths in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea was 42.5%, 35.8%, and 21.6%, respectively. Healthcare workers were at higher risk of dying compared with the general public, and the same applied to intense transmission countries and to countries with sufficient bed capacities. The declaration of a health emergency “out-of-control” situation by the World Health Organization on 8 August 2014 reduced the risk of death among patients. Factors including deplorable healthcare delivery infrastructure in war-ravaged regions of Africa, the impotence of governments to enforce public health regulations, and the loss of confidence in public healthcare delivery programs were key among others factors that enhanced the spread and magnitude of outbreaks. Conclusions: The findings underscore the need for an overall re-appraisal of the healthcare systems in African countries and the ability to cope with widespread epidemic challenges. Outbreaks like that of Ebola diseases should be handled not just as a medical emergency but also a socio-economic problem with significant negative economic impacts.

scholarly journals Seroprevalence of Ebola virus infection in Bombali District, Sierra Leone

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadege Goumkwa Mafopa ◽  
Gianluca Russo ◽  
Raoul Emeric Guetiya Wadoum ◽  
Emmanuel Iwerima ◽  
Vincent Batwala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Virus Infection ◽  
West Africa ◽  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Asymptomatic Infection ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
Efficient Immune Response ◽  
Ebola Virus Infection

A serosurvey of anti-Ebola Zaire virus nucleoprotein IgG prevalence was carried out among Ebola virus disease survivors and their Community Contacts in Bombali District, Sierra Leone. Our data suggest that the specie of Ebola virus (Zaire) responsible of the 2013-2016 epidemic in West Africa may cause mild or asymptomatic infection in a proportion of cases, possibly due to an efficient immune response.

scholarly journals Early transmission dynamics of Ebola virus disease (EVD), West Africa, March to August 2014

2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (36) ◽  
Author(s):  
H Nishiura ◽  
G Chowell
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Reproduction Number ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
World Health ◽  
Primary Case ◽  
Specific Data ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Country Specific

The effective reproduction number, Rt, of Ebola virus disease was estimated using country-specific data reported from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone to the World Health Organization from March to August, 2014. Rt for the three countries lies consistently above 1.0 since June 2014. Country-specific Rt for Liberia and Sierra Leone have lied between 1.0 and 2.0. Rt<2 indicate that control could be attained by preventing over half of the secondary transmissions per primary case.

scholarly journals The 2014 Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa

2014 ◽  
Vol 95 (8) ◽  
pp. 1619-1624 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derek Gatherer
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
Urban Setting ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
World Health ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Health Organization

On 23 March 2014, the World Health Organization issued its first communiqué on a new outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD), which began in December 2013 in Guinée Forestière (Forested Guinea), the eastern sector of the Republic of Guinea. Located on the Atlantic coast of West Africa, Guinea is the first country in this geographical region in which an outbreak of EVD has occurred, leaving aside the single case reported in Ivory Coast in 1994. Cases have now also been confirmed across Guinea as well as in the neighbouring Republic of Liberia. The appearance of cases in the Guinean capital, Conakry, and the transit of another case through the Liberian capital, Monrovia, presents the first large urban setting for EVD transmission. By 20 April 2014, 242 suspected cases had resulted in a total of 147 deaths in Guinea and Liberia. The causative agent has now been identified as an outlier strain of Zaire Ebola virus. The full geographical extent and degree of severity of the outbreak, its zoonotic origins and its possible spread to other continents are sure to be subjects of intensive discussion over the next months.

scholarly journals Incorporating health workers’ perspectives into a WHO guideline on personal protective equipment developed during an Ebola virus disease outbreak

F1000Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saskia Den Boon ◽  
Constanza Vallenas ◽  
Mauricio Ferri ◽  
Susan L. Norris
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
West Africa ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Expert Panel ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
World Health ◽  
Protective Equipment

Background: Ebola virus disease (EVD) health facility transmission can result in infection and death of health workers. The World Health Organization (WHO) supports countries in preparing for and responding to public health emergencies, which often require developing new guidance in short timelines with scarce evidence. The objective of this study was to understand frontline physicians’ and nurses’ perspectives about personal protective equipment (PPE) use during the 2014-2016 EVD outbreak in West Africa and to incorporate these findings into the development process of a WHO rapid advice guideline. Methods: We surveyed frontline physicians and nurses deployed to West Africa between March and September of 2014. Results: We developed the protocol, obtained ethics approval, delivered the survey, analysed the data and presented the findings as part of the evidence-to-decision tables at the expert panel meeting where the recommendations were formulated within eight weeks. Forty-four physicians and nurses responded to the survey. They generally felt at low or extremely low risk of virus transmission with all types of PPE used. Eye protection reduced the ability to provide care, mainly due to impaired visibility because of fogging. Heat and dehydration were a major issue for 76% of the participants using goggles and for 64% using a hood. Both gowns and coveralls were associated with significant heat stress and dehydration. Most participants (59%) were very confident that they were using PPE correctly. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that it was possible to incorporate primary data on end-users’ preferences into a rapid advice guideline for a public health emergency in difficult field conditions. Health workers perceived a balance between transmission protection and ability to care for patients effectively while wearing PPE. These findings were used by the guideline development expert panel to formulate WHO recommendations on PPE for frontline providers caring for EVD patients in outbreak conditions.

scholarly journals Assessment of the severity of Ebola virus disease in Sierra Leone in 2014–2015

2015 ◽  
Vol 144 (7) ◽  
pp. 1473-1481 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Y. WONG ◽  
W. ZHANG ◽  
D. KARGBO ◽  
U. HAQUE ◽  
W. HU ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Proportional Hazards ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Occupational Status ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Case Fatality ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
Fatality Risk ◽  
Risk Of Death

SUMMARYThe current Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemic in West Africa is unprecedented in scale, and Sierra Leone is the most severely affected country. The case fatality risk (CFR) and hospitalization fatality risk (HFR) were used to characterize the severity of infections in confirmed and probable EVD cases in Sierra Leone. Proportional hazards regression models were used to investigate factors associated with the risk of death in EVD cases. In total, there were 17 318 EVD cases reported in Sierra Leone from 23 May 2014 to 31 January 2015. Of the probable and confirmed EVD cases with a reported final outcome, a total of 2536 deaths and 886 recoveries were reported. CFR and HFR estimates were 74·2% [95% credibility interval (CrI) 72·6–75·5] and 68·9% (95% CrI 66·2–71·6), respectively. Risks of death were higher in the youngest (0–4 years) and oldest (⩾60 years) age groups, and in the calendar month of October 2014. Sex and occupational status did not significantly affect the mortality of EVD. The CFR and HFR estimates of EVD were very high in Sierra Leone.

scholarly journals Incorporating health workers’ perspectives into a WHO guideline on personal protective equipment developed during an Ebola virus disease outbreak

F1000Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saskia Den Boon ◽  
Constanza Vallenas ◽  
Mauricio Ferri ◽  
Susan L. Norris
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
West Africa ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Expert Panel ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
World Health ◽  
Protective Equipment

Background: Ebola virus disease (EVD) health facility transmission can result in infection and death of health workers. The World Health Organization (WHO) supports countries in preparing for and responding to public health emergencies, which often require developing new guidance in short timelines with scarce evidence. The objective of this study was to understand frontline physicians’ and nurses’ perspectives about personal protective equipment (PPE) use during the 2014-2016 EVD outbreak in West Africa and to incorporate these findings into the development process of a WHO rapid advice guideline. Methods: We surveyed frontline physicians and nurses deployed to West Africa between March and September of 2014. Results: We developed the protocol, obtained ethics approval, delivered the survey, analysed the data and presented the findings as part of the evidence-to-decision tables at the expert panel meeting where the recommendations were formulated within eight weeks. Forty-four physicians and nurses responded to the survey. They generally felt at low or extremely low risk of virus transmission with all types of PPE used. Eye protection reduced the ability to provide care, mainly due to impaired visibility because of fogging. Heat and dehydration were a major issue for 76% of the participants using goggles and for 64% using a hood. Both gowns and coveralls were associated with significant heat stress and dehydration. Most participants (59%) were very confident that they were using PPE correctly. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that it was possible to incorporate primary data on end-users’ preferences into a rapid advice guideline for a public health emergency in difficult field conditions. Health workers perceived a balance between transmission protection and ability to care for patients effectively while wearing PPE. These findings were used by the guideline development expert panel to formulate WHO recommendations on PPE for frontline providers caring for EVD patients in outbreak conditions.

scholarly journals A tribute to Sheik Humarr Khan and all the healthcare workers in West Africa who have sacrificed in the fight against Ebola virus disease: Mae we hush

2014 ◽  
Vol 111 ◽  
pp. 33-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel G. Bausch ◽  
James Bangura ◽  
Robert F. Garry ◽  
Augustine Goba ◽  
Donald S. Grant ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease

INMI/Emergency NGO Italian Laboratory Established In Sierra Leone during Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak in West Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Colavita ◽  
Carolina Venditti ◽  
Antonella Vulcano ◽  
Concetta Castilletti ◽  
Paola Zaccaro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Disease Outbreak ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease

Emergence of the Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa

2017 ◽  
pp. 163-177
Author(s):  
Samir Dervisevic
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
World Health ◽  
Viral Haemorrhagic Fever ◽  
The World ◽  
Viral Illness ◽  
Health Organization

This chapter gives an overview on the recent outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa which has lasted for over seventeen months. The Ebola virus has been implicated as a causative agent of viral haemorrhagic fever occurring in Central Africa over the last thirty-nine years. However, the Ebola virus has not previously been recognised as an endemic virus causing outbreaks of viral illness in West Africa. The start of what was to become the largest Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in known history was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) on the 23rd of March 2014 and since then it has transformed into an unprecedented and severe epidemic affecting the three countries of West Africa (Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone). The emergence of this lethal virus in a setting of profound poverty, a dysfunctional public-health and a weak government infrastructure alarmed the wider world and caused dread from an uncontrollable spread.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document