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Ebola virus disease in Africa: epidemiology and nosocomial transmission

Shears, P and O'Dempsey, Tim ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9596-9687 (2015) 'Ebola virus disease in Africa: epidemiology and nosocomial transmission'. Journal of Hospital Infection, Vol 90, Issue 1, pp. 1-9.

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Abstract

The 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, primarily affecting Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, has exceeded all previous Ebola outbreaks in the number of cases and in international response. There have been 20 significant outbreaks of Ebola virus disease in Sub-Saharan Africa prior to the 2014 outbreak, the largest being that in Uganda in 2000, with 425 cases and a mortality of 53%. Since the first outbreaks in Sudan and Zaire in 1976, transmission within health facilities has been of major concern, affecting healthcare workers and acting as amplifiers of spread into the community. The lack of resources for infection control and personal protective equipment are the main reasons for nosocomial transmission. Local strategies to improve infection control, and a greater understanding of local community views on the disease, have helped to bring outbreaks under control. Recommendations from previous outbreaks include improved disease surveillance to enable more rapid health responses, the wider availability of personal protective equipment, and greater international preparedness.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Africa; Ebola virus disease; Healthcare workers; Nosocomial transmission
Subjects: W General Medicine. Health Professions > W 21.5 Allied health personnel. Allied health professions
WA Public Health > WA 105 Epidemiology
WC Communicable Diseases > Infection. Bacterial Infections > General Infection > WC 195 Infection. Cross infection. Laboratory infection
WC Communicable Diseases > Virus Diseases > Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers. Other Virus Diseases > WC 534 Viral hemorrhagic fevers
Faculty: Department: Clinical Sciences & International Health > Clinical Sciences Department
Digital Object Identifer (DOI): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2015.01.002
Depositing User: Jessica Jones
Date Deposited: 02 Feb 2016 16:36
Last Modified: 01 Nov 2019 15:08
URI: https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/5586

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